


Escape the Night: Murder Mystery Party Game Edition

by Robyn_F_Toolan



Series: Escape the Night: Murder Mystery Party Edition [1]
Category: Escape the Night (Web Series)
Genre: Escape the Night Season 1, Gen, Haunted Houses, House Party, Murder Mystery, Screenplay/Script Format
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-03-12
Updated: 2019-05-08
Packaged: 2019-11-16 04:59:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 8
Words: 22,299
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18087899
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Robyn_F_Toolan/pseuds/Robyn_F_Toolan
Summary: First step: InvitationSecond step: ArrivalThird step: Introductions





	1. Let the Party Commence

**Author's Note:**

> A couple of months ago I had a class reunion at this 2019 New Year's party. We got to dress up and act as 1920s characters and then after dinner we played this Murder Mystery card game and the characters we were dressed up as were the suspects. It was awesome it made me think of Joey Graceffa's Escape the Night in card mode.  
> Because of this and my recent liking to the web series as well Leah Merone's work, I've decided to write my personal take on the show and see which one of the new year's guests will die and who will escape the night  
> Side note: I won't using the guests real names because a) I don't want to wind up offending anyone b) One of the guests social media shy and c) two of the guests have the same name so I don't want to leave anyone confused

The young college student looks onward out into the fields and trees admiring her newly given land, sadly unaware of a dark presence stalking her nearby…  
The young savant proceeds with her upcoming plans this week, settling down at a bedroom desk and goes on into writing ten letters for the same number of guests she wishes to invite, some were close friends…some were nothing but strangers now…but one or another these guests were to be people she was once knew and vice versa, one way or another…  
“To my esteemed friends  
I have acquired an illustrious estate, through the death of a distant relative of whom I’ve never met and I find it only fitting that I invite you all to a dinner party upon it’s grounds…”  
The letters proceed into being sent to the guests of whom it had been written in ink by people dressed in coffee and cinnamon mocha uniforms (whom frankly look like they should be airplane stewardesses rather than delivery people).  
One knocks on a blue door soon to be opened by a curly-haired young girl who understandably gives the woman a puzzled expression  
“Um, miss whatever you’re selling…”  
[holds out two envelopes to the confused girl] “Letter, for Master and Miss Knightley”  
“…PATRICK!” [Takes the letters, still confused] “A LETTER FROM ONE OF YOUR NUTTERS!”  
\-----------------------  
“It surely will be a night to remember, hm, certainly sounds like it. However, the state is quite peculiar…”  
\------------------------  
“…As it only exists…in the year 1920? Oh, girl, what?”  
\------------------------  
“…To enter it’s grounds, you must be dressed, entirely with clothing of that. If you are carrying anything from the modern world, the house will simply never appear to you?”  
\------------------------  
A number of members of the guest list attempt to call their friend only to be given no response on the other. Confused as ever they return to their letters to continue or double check the contents of the letter  
” …And not only your clothing, but your attitude as well must also reflect the time. I’ve included your unique characteristics on the back of this invitation. My driver will proceed to pick you up on January fourth and take you on a road that apparently can only be driven by his mysterious time travelling car (think of it as a 1920s DeLorean but without the drama and fire). And then almost like magic, the estate and the house will appear. That being said, as questionable as this information is I sincerely this won’t stop anyone from accepting this invitation. For some of you, it’s been a long time since, I’ve heard from you and hope to catch up with each and every one of you.  
In the meantime, happy new year and happy travels to the party”  
\-----------------------  
The night of the party has arrived and the time-travelling automobile comes and goes, four or five times, resulting in ten people dressed at their best to step from the car and proceed into the house.  
The first to walk is the Reverend dressed in the traditional black coat and dog collar laired over a hip and trendy dinner suit. His eyes explore his new environment as he walks in, while his piano fingers unconsciously fiddling around with the rosary that hangs off his neck just under his collarbone  
(Reverend[off-screen]) “My name is Thomas and I am a reverend”  
The second is the tiny little Photographer, dressed in a formal yet, rather kinky, black cocktail dress made from artificial black feathers that matched the large one in her headband, sitting in her Weasley red locks, her accessories include rings and bracelets and a wall of glittering necklaces that hides her cleavage.  
(Photographer [off-screen]) “I am Gloria. I am a photographer. I want to say wedding photographer, heheh”  
Next is the Heiress who contrasts to the photographer by wearing a long modest dove-white dress with a faux snow leopard fur coat, but wears just as much jewellery as the latter, maybe even more. She walks into the building without taking anything in unlike the first two guests, and would rather check the rings on her fingers with a bored expression as if to say ‘you’ve seen one rich man’s mansion, you’ve seen them all’  
(Heiress [off -screen]) “My name is Emma, and my character is the heiress”  
A mere few minutes later, the Psychic arrives dressed in a white blouse and purple skirt, both made of floaty fabrics, adorned with bangles, an armlet, a set of fingerless fishnet gloves and two scarves, one purple tied around her waist and the other acting as bronze headscarf holding back her mousy curls. She walks in with a daydream-like gaze and doesn’t appear to be comprehending the place much like the heiress.  
(Psychic [off-screen]) I am Poppy Knightley, and…I don’t know, I’m kind of like a psychic”  
Right on his sister’s heels is the Chauffeur, dressed is grey dinner suit with a matching flat cap. He eyes the place with far more eagerness and glee than the previous two guests. His driving gloved fingers slips off his rose-coloured aviator sunglasses revealing the immeasurable desire for fun set in flame in his sky-blue eyes  
(Chauffeur [off-screen]) My name is Patrick and I am the Chauffeur”  
The tallest guest so far, the Inspector soon walks in, dressed in a replica outfit to the tenth doctor; midnight blue pinstriped dinner suit layered by a long brown trench coat that’s equipped with a large number of pockets. As his takes of his matching trilby hat his eyes dart around the room analysing every detail in every item before him…in the least discreet way possible  
(Inspector [off-screen]) “I’m Neal Baldwin…sorry, should I say Inspector Baldwin?”  
Not long after that, was the Musician, dressed in a simple yet striking cocktail dress with rose pattern of reds and golds, rebelliously paired with her silvery lavender pixie-cut and a colourful avant-garde necklace. She takes in her new environment through a twirl or two admiring the rich, yet warm atmosphere the house feels to be beaming down on her.  
(Musician [off-screen]) “I’m Theodora, my character is a musician”  
After her is the Doctor, dressed in Florence Nightingale inspired outfit; a long flowing black dress, equipped with a white apron and a small floral laced nurse cap resting in her chocolate and caramel hair-bun. She put aside her brown leather medical to look like she wasn’t here on business and continues on to explore her new surroundings  
(Doctor [off-screen]) “Hi, I’m Marti Seaton, and my role in this party is supposed to be a doctor”  
Then comes the ex-war-veterinarian, dressed in a grey dinner suit, hidden away by a World War II army jacket complete with a collection of medals and an equal number of rings on his fingers appearing to act as some sort of make-shift knuckle dusters.  
(Ex-War-Vet [off-screen]) My name is Robert, I’m acting as a former war-vet”  
And finally, the professor arrives, dressed in an eleventh doctor attire, unintentionally to compliment the Inspector’s supposed theme; he wears a greenish brown tweed jacket, brown corduroy trousers, a faded white shirt, suspenders and a vibrant ornate bow tie.  
(Professor [off-screen]) “My name is Sammy Clearwater. I am the professor”  
\----------------  
In the foyer, the ten invited guests stand crowded in the mansion's foyer. Most talking and laughing amoungst one another, while a rare few, such as the Psychic isolates themselves from the rather large group  
(Photographer [Heard over the distinct chatter]) "Yeah, I'm liking this place, so far, it's really classy"  
\----------------  
(Chauffeur) "This is...a weirdly unique experience, not gonna lie, like I thought the letter was a fun way to transist into a 1920 theme, but no there was actually a time travelling car on our door-step this evening. I mean is just weird, but at the same time, this is definitely on the top five parties, Anita's planned, so far"  
\------------------  
Chatter among the guests continue as they wait for the hostess of the party. The Psychic starts to wonder into another room but a member of staff politely ushers her back into the foyer.  
\------------------  
(Psychic) "I feel like...a fish a water, right now. Like, people and parties, have been my thing and twenty-four percent of these people, I haven't talked to in five years, twenty-six percent of these people I only know through my brother, Patrick and then fifty percent of these, I haven't talk to in...ever..."  
\------------------  
(Doctor [Heard over the distinctive chatter]) I wonder if we can take something from this house, like a souvenir..."  
(Musician [Heard over the distinctive chatter]) "Like a party favour?"  
(Doctor [Heard over the distinctive chatter]) "Yeah, yeah, kind of. But you know, like an antique, 1920 themed"  
(Musician [Heard over the distinctive chatter]) "Well, you never know with Anita"  
Doctor [Heard over the distinctive chatter]) "So true"  
\--------------------  
(Doctor) "I've never been one for drama or anything, but the idea dressing up and acting as a character for the evening sounded super fun, like I was so excited when I heard we had to dress up for the occasion!"  
\-------------------  
The oddly small staff position in line as the hostess soon walks down the hallway. She travels down the stairs and stops on the half-space landing to make her entrance.  
(Hostess) “Hey, guys!”  
Sure, enough the guests turn to find their hostess of the party standing halfway up the stairs with arms open wide and welcoming showing her simple yet elegant warm green dress that were complimented with silver bracelets and diamond, encrusted headband that holds her russet braid bun in place. The crowd cheers in welcome at response to her entrance of which happily returned with a “Heeeyyy!”  
(Musician [over the cheering and clapping]) “You look beautiful!”  
(Hostess [once the guests had settled down]) “So, what do you guys think of my new house?”  
(Doctor) “Yeah this is really nice! Really adorable. Definitely a new holiday spot  
(Ex-War-Vet [Over the Doctor]) “Yeah, I’m definitely liking this place so far”  
(Inspector) “Wait this is actually your house?”  
(Professor [Over the Inspector]) “Oh I thought this place was rented”  
(Hostess) “Yeah, the previous owner, believe it or not was from this distant cousin, twice removed I think”  
(Inspector) “And you’ve never met this cousin before?”  
(Chauffeur [In a mock accent]) “Where are mah distant rich cousins et? ah’m in need of some!”  
A small number of guests chuckles at the Chauffeur’s comment  
(Hostess) Before we get things started, I would like to introduce you to my wonderful, staff who came with the house. This is Arthur, he’s the head of the staff”  
Arthur responds with a pleasant welcoming smile followed by a short, quick bow while the guest gives him a number hi’s his way  
(Musician [over the hellos]) “Is he single?”  
(Hostess) “And uh, also Sarah, the maid”  
Sarah proceeds into a quick bow like Arthur only without any form of smile…or any form of emotion for that matter  
(Hostess) “And then we have a guy called Marvin, currently out back who’s the ground’s keeper of this estate”  
(Chauffeur) “Sounds like that guy is his element then”  
(Hostess) “Dinner’s almost ready, but in the meantime, there are some games we can play, and I for one would love to catch up with each and every one because it’s been like five or six years for some of us”  
(Ex-War-Vet [Over a number of agreed yeahs]) “It has”  
(Hostess) “Also feel free to have some champagne, because we have a long night of us”  
The raises her arms in the air and gives cleavage a fun shake. The Musician and Heiress repeat this gesture while everyone else cheers at champagne.  
\--------------------------  
(Psychic [with a sour face and half-hearted tone]) “…Yaaay…”


	2. Calm before the Storm

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The guys are flirting  
> The girls are crashing  
> And something sinister upstairs is lurking

The party is soon in full swing; Sarah comes in and out with refilled glasses of the promised champagne. The Doctor had just convinced the Photographer and Heiress to compete in a game of darts, while the Chauffeur, Professor, Musician, and Psychic are already halfway through a card game of Crash, but at a slow pace, as the Musician is just learning the ropes of this new game. The remaining guests are standing in the foyer in mid-conversation with the Hostess.  
Back in the living room, the Photographer has managed to hit centre and reacts with a kinky little victory dance.  
\--------------------  
(Heiress) “I’m rather enjoying myself so far, the champagne’s good, the music is rather bouncy and upbeat for the 1920s era. Games could be better, but I’ll let that slide, because, like I said it’s the 1920s. The only downside, is that wifi wasn’t invented yet, so I can’t go on to Facebook here and update any of my friends on the party or anything, but I’ll…try and let that slide too.”  
\----------------------  
(Heiress) “I mean; you’re looking rather kinky for someone who’s job is a photographer”  
(Photographer [In a flirtatious pose]) “Oh…You like?”  
(Heiress) “Not really”  
(Doctor [over the Heiress]) “Um…I mean, it’s looks cute on you”  
\-----------------------  
(Photographer) “It’s a party, of course I’m gonna dress up and dress up good! Just because I have the most boring title, compared to everyone else, doesn’t mean I need to put a lack of effort into my looks. You know what I’m saying?”  
\-------------------------  
(Professor) “I just came [quickly gestures to the Chauffeur] we just came back from America. We were on like this…lecture tour for kids…”  
(Chauffeur) “And I was his Chauffeur!”  
(Professor) “Yeah, you were my Chauffeur, in a way, yeah, he was driving me to my next schools, driving to the hotels…”  
(Chauffeur) “Driving him to the bar. Those professors LOVE their alcohol, over there  
(Professor [Over the Chauffeur]) “Yeah, yeah, yeah…”  
(Musician) “So what exactly is your degree?”  
(Professor) “Um…joinery…mainly”  
(Chauffeur) “I did a lecture or two too”  
(Musician) “Really?”  
(Psychic [over the Musician]) “You?”  
(Chauffeur) “Yeah, I was teaching the kiddy winks biology on cars”  
(Musician) “Ooohhh”  
(Psychic) “OK, that makes more sense”  
\------------------------------  
(Musician) “Confession time: Uh, I haven’t played the violin in ten years. So, at this point I’m hoping no-one brings up or asks about my musician title, because, damn, is it gonna be awkward and embarrassing, if I have to be like ‘Hmm, well, I actually don’t do music anymore’, hehehe”  
\------------------------------  
(Professor) “So that’s a draw to you and Theadora, two to Poppy and one to me”  
(Psychic) “BOOM!!!”  
(Chauffeur) “Oh, suck an egg, Poppy!”  
(Professor [over the Chauffeur]) “So the score on the door is five, three, two, six”  
Elsewhere the dart trio are curiously eyeing the boys surrounding the Hostess in the foyer  
(Heiress) We should place some bets, on which of those gold-diggers are gonna get in the sacks with Anita first”  
(Photographer) “Definitely, Robert; he’s probably the most handsome guy here”  
(Doctor [Over the photographer]) “Oh, come on, you guys, do we have to?”  
\-----------------------------  
(Hostess) “I figured I was gonna get a little bit attention from this new house, I never thought about how much. Like, on one side Robert is trying to flirt his way into living here with me and then there’s Neal who’s making me feel like a suspect for murder”  
\------------------------------  
(Inspector) “So, Anita do you own this house. Like for real?”  
(Hostess) “Well, technically not yet. There’s still the deed I need in or something to fill, before it’s officially mine”  
(Ex-War-Vet [Somewhat crestfallen]) “Oh, so don’t own anything”  
(Hostess) “No, but I basically own it, I mean I’ve been living here for a while, I just need to fill some deed and then I’ll legally own everything”  
(Ex-War-Vet [Perked up again]) “Oh, OK”  
(Inspector) “So when is this deed gonna happen?”  
(Hostess) “Um, sometime, later on tonight…hopefully”  
(Inspector) “And you want to live here, your whole life?”  
(Hostess) “Yeah, why not?”  
(Ex-War-Vet) “All on your own?”  
(Hostess) “…Maybe…”  
(Ex-War-Vet) “I mean aren’t you worried getting lonely?”  
The Ex-War-Vet reaches out to stroke the hostess’s arm. Uncomfortable by the gesture, the Hostess, subtlety backs away her guest’s hand while composing her smile as politely as possible.  
(Hostess) “Um…well… I was thinking about bringing my dogs up here was I’ve signed the deed, so…no I think I’m good”  
(Inspector) “Oh, that’s nice.”  
(Reverend) “I have a dog”  
(Hostess) “Really?”  
(Reverend) “No, not really. But I’ve got a rabbit though”  
(Hostess) “Aaaawwww”  
(Ex-War-Vet) “Well, I definitely own a dog. Did his bit in the war, just like me. I think you’ll like him”  
(Hostess) “I’m sure that I will…just as long as he’s neutered”  
The Inspector and Reverend failed to hold back their snickers, even the Hostess couldn’t help but chuckle with them, leaving the Ex-War-Vet rather confused.  
\----------------------  
(Ex-War-Vet) “Part of me was, you know, hoping I’d be the only guy, invited by Anita to this party. But you know, I’m not complaining. You know why? Because these men…they’re weak. I’ve gone through World War I and II and I’m still standing tall and proud and you’ve got a Reverend and a Chauffeur? [Scoffs] What have they done? I’ve got this girl and this house in my hand by a landslide, baby…unless of coarse she’s more into the smart ones…then the guys, like Neal and Sammy, are gonna be a problem”  
\---------------------  
(Inspector) As a police investigator, I’m supposed to sense if something’s amiss, and right now…I’m sensing something’s amiss. Like, a distant relative passing down a house to practically a stranger from what I’m getting from this conversation, already making this entire situation sound and look suspicious in my book”  
\----------------------  
Back at the card table, the Musician is struggling again. The Psychic takes a peek at her hand quickly whispers some hints on what to do, and the Musician soon starts to re-organise her hand.  
(Professor) “You two, ready?”  
(Musician) “Almost”  
(Sarah) “More champagne?”  
(Psychic) “No I’m good, thanks”  
(Musician [over the Psychic]) “Oh, yes please”  
The Professor raises his glass showing off his half-empty substance indicating a ‘no thank you’ to Sarah.  
(Chauffeur) “Hey, Pops, want to use your psychic powers to pass your brother a drink”  
(Psychic) “Ugh, that’s NOT a psychic thing, how many times do I have to tell you!?”  
(Musician) “What is it that a psychic can do?”  
(Psychic) “Um…it’s like…heightened senses to the point of the spiritual realm, like, I like see things, people can’t I can hear things, people can’t, smell things, even. Like a couple of weeks ago I was in my bedroom, reading, when all of a sudden, I’m smelling banana milkshake”  
(Musician) “Oh, interesting”  
(Chauffeur) “That’s just weird”  
(Psychic [Mockingly]) “Thank you”  
\------------------------  
(Psychic) “I was SO happy when I learnt, I was gonna be a psychic. You can do so much with a character like that, and definitely screams me. Like, I’ve always had a habit of talking to myself, zoning out of conversations, a bit of a flaw, according to my parents. But as a psychic all of those traits can be a natural thing to except from that, and I can do it without shame and people will be like ‘Yo, who are you talking to?’ and I can be like ‘Oh, no-one…just my spirit animal…Thistle the Honey Badger’ haha. So, yeah, I’m glad that I’m a Psychic”  
\------------------------  
The Inspector has slipped away from the Foyer group has joins the girls in a game or two of darts. On one point, the players attempt to throw darts over their shoulders for a game but give up halfway through.  
(Photographer) “So, are you enjoying yourself?”  
(Inspector) “Yeah, I am. I am actually, kinda curious about the rest of house”  
(Photographer) “Really?”  
(Inspector) “Yeah, I wouldn’t mind having a quick peek up on the first floor”  
(Photographer [Almost flirtatiously]) “I’m down, if you’re down”  
(Inspector) “Um…yeah…I’m so down. Plus, it wouldn’t hurt to know, where the bathroom is because there is a lot of champagne going down a lot of gullets”  
(Photographer) “That is SO true!”  
A minute or so later however, the Hostess returns to the half-space landing and rings a mini gong, getting everyone’s attention.  
(Hostess) “Ok, guys, dinner is served. If you could all go into the room on the right, we can let the dinner commence”  
Sure, enough the guests travel over to the dining room, except for the Inspector and Photographer who purposefully travel at snail pace only to speedily tiptoe away from the group when they are aligned with the staircase  
(Professor [over the chatter]) “Ooohhh, full on Sunday lunch up in here”  
While the Reverend is searching for his nametag, he wonders towards the window and spots a wood glass holder and stops to spin it upside-down before returning to his search for his nametag.  
(Ex-war-vet [over the chatter]) “Can we just straight up skip the meat, because I don’t want to be picky, but I’m a vegetarian”  
(Doctor [over the chatter and Ex-war-vet) “Aaawww, the Knightley siblings are placed next to each other!”  
Back at the staircase, the Inspector and Photographer, have almost reached the first floor and there’s a mix of nerves and excitement expressed from the both of them  
(Photographer[gleefully]) “Ok, not gonna lie, this is actually kinda creepy”  
(Inspector) “I know!”  
(Photographer) “What juicy secrets, do you think, we’re gonna find up here?”  
(Inspector) “Um…gotta be honest with you, I’m hoping to find something more than juicy up here”  
(Photographer) “Oh?”  
(Inspector) “Yeah”  
(Photographer [more gleefully]) “OK”  
The photographer suddenly runs up the remaining stairs with an excited giggle and encourages the Inspector to pick up the pace as well. The two turn the corner only to spot something rather unsettling…something on the floor being dragged away on the opposite end of the corridor leaving behind an uncomfortable looking red stain upon the floorboards.  
(Photographer [now in a more nervous shift in tone]) “Wait, did you see that?”  
(Inspector) “I…saw something…”  
The Inspector cautiously takes two or three steps with the now cowardly Photographer following tightly close to his heels. Suddenly Sarah turns around the corner getting the two to jump out of their skins and makes an unwanted bee-line straight towards them.  
(Sarah) “Dinner’s ready”  
(Inspector) “Um…”  
The Inspector is lost for words as he nervously eyes a matching red stain slashed across her cheek.  
(Photographer [in an attempted pep]) “We were looking for the bathroom?”  
(Sarah) “You should probably head down”  
(Photographer) “Seriously, this is not an excuse right now; I could REALLY use a toilet right about now…”  
But the creepy maid continued to politely gesture towards the stairs.  
(Sarah) "Please"  
(Inspector) “Let’s just do what she says at this point ok?”  
(Photographer [lets out and exaggerated sigh]) “Fine! If you guys want me to pee myself during dinner, I’ll do it. But just so you know, you’re to blame”  
While the Photographer has her back turned keeping up the bathroom act, as best she can, the Inspector turns back to Sarah to quickly lean in towards her ear.  
(Inspector [In a harsh whisper]) “I’m on to you all”  
With that he backs away, only to see unphased expression upon the maid’s face. But he does his best attempt to do the same and follows the Photographer back down the corridor.  
\-------------------------  
Outside the mansion, someone chaining up the gateway and adding padlock to them for good measure. This same someone then takes out a set of dynamite from a chest and straps it underneath the time travelling car.


	3. Toxic Shock

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lot's of blood  
> Lot's of confusion  
> And lot's of cats

(Psychic) “That’s a flipping shade of pink and you know it!”  
(Chauffeur [slips on his sunglasses) “Oh, come on, you cannot look at these things and say these aren’t red!”  
(Psychic) “Yes!!”  
(Professor [over the Psychic]) “They do look a little bit pink, dude”  
The Chauffeur responds to this by lowering his sunglasses down his nose to show off a melodramatic scowl at the Professor.  
\-------------------------  
(Professor) So, everyone is going in and out waiting for Gloria and Neal and eating their food without the full party, and typical Knightley sibs just start going into another stupid debate of a stupid pair of aviator sunglasses”  
\--------------------------  
(Musician) “Here’s a debate we should do; [gestures at the empty seats] where the heck are these two at?”  
(Psychic) “Definitely not at the toilet, that’s for sure. I’m pretty sure it doesn’t take even this long to take a number two.”  
(Professor) “Time of the month?”  
(Heiress [over the Professor]) “I’m pretty sure, it does takes that long to make out”  
Half the table reacts to the Heiress’s statement with disgusted ohs and ews  
(Doctor) “Emma, Gloria has a boyfriend”  
(Heiress [suddenly embarrassed]) “Oh…goes to show how looks can be deceiving”  
(Reverend [over the Heiress]) “I think, Neal has a boyfriend as well”  
(Ex-war-vet [over the Heiress]) “Oh, well then, I’m all out of ideas”  
\--------------------------  
(Reverend) “My personal thought process is curiosity got the better of the cat situation and now Neal and Gloria are just exploring the upper floors of the house – kinda wish I went with them, to be honest – but really I don’t think we have anything to worry about. Yes, this place is big, but I’m sure, they’ll find their way back.”  
\----------------------------  
(Hostess) “So Knightleys, I haven’t heard your opinion on the house yet”  
(Psychic) “Oh…um…it’s nice…”  
(Ex-war-vet) “Just nice!?”  
(Psychic [over the Ex-war-vet]) “I mean, I’m sensing a rather unique aura…”  
(Professor and Doctor) “Oooooo”  
(Hostess [over the Professor and Doctor]) “Oh?”  
(Musician) “What kind of aura?”  
(Psychic) “Um…it’s hard to describe. It’s like a…iridescent…burnt amber…there’s something very interesting about this place”  
(Hostess) “Oh”  
(Heiress) “Oooo, spookyyy”  
(Chauffeur) “Well, I just straight up LOVE this place. It’s just so big; it’s like the perfect house for a Saturday night party. Anita if you need a housemate, call me!”  
The females of the group responded with an annoyed groan  
(Doctor [over the groaning female]) “Oh, come on!”  
(Musician) “Et tu Patrick?”  
(Chauffeur) “What, I’m being serious”  
(Professor) “Am I the only guy here, who doesn’t want this house?”  
(Reverend) “I don’t…I don’t…”  
(Psychic [over the Reverend]) “Sounds like it, yeah”  
(Chauffeur) “I think, the only complaint about this place is that maid chick, Sarah.  
(Ex-war-vet) “Yeah”  
(Chauffeur [over the Ex-war-vet]) “She creeps me out; you should consider firing her or something”  
Most of the table chatter in agreement, except for the Musician and the Psychic, the latter of which slaps her brother’s arm with the back of her hand  
(Psychic) “RUDE!”  
(Musician) “She’s a woman of the 1920s, can you blame her!?  
\-----------------------  
(Musician) “I mean, honestly, if I lived in the 1920s and my job was a maid, I’d probably be pouting and scowling throughout my work shift too”  
\------------------------  
(Ex-War-Vet) “Sarah’s definitely the first thing I’m getting rid of when I move here, like her presence just gives this house the wrong impression”  
\-----------------------  
(Musician) “Then again, maybe if the head of staff is as decent looking as Arthur, over here, then…maybe being a maid wouldn’t necessarily be bad thing…”  
\-----------------------  
Eventually, the Inspector and Photographer arrive at the dining table and take their seats with the other guests give welcoming cheer, most of which rather sincerely, a few, though in a more sarcastic manor  
(Psychic [over the cheering]) “You’re running a little late”  
(Chauffeur [over the Psychic in a mock accent]) “It’s abou’ dang tahme!”  
(Hostess) “Where the heck have you guys been, eh!?”  
(Inspector) “Is this tofu?”  
(Photographer) “I was in the bathroom”  
(Musician) “THAT’S BULL!!!”  
(Hostess [over the Musician]) “You weren’t in the bathroom for that long!”  
(Inspector) “Is this genuine meat or is this tofu I can eat”  
(Ex-war-vet) Definitely not the latter, I’m afraid”  
(Professor) “Dude, don’t let him change the subject!”  
\---------------------  
(Photographer) "I know Neal and I saw something upstairs, but the question is what? Because on one hand, it looked like a body, but on the other, we were standing on the other side of the corridor when we saw, so it could be something else, and I for one, don’t want cause a panic over a possible misunderstanding”  
\-------------------------  
(Photographer) “Um, well maybe if you told us where the bathroom is before hand then me and Neal probably wouldn’t have gone on a wild goose chase for it”  
(Hostess) “Um, well maybe if you asked me front and centre before hand, you probably wouldn’t have gotten lost”  
(Musician) “Ok, what about you? What’s your excuse?”  
(Inspector) “Um…I was with Gloria”  
(Musician) “Yeah, well, I mean, obviously”  
(Professor [over the Musician]) “We already established that bit, dude”  
\-------------------------  
(Inspector) “I want to tell everyone what’s happening so bad. But at this point, I’m afraid I don’t have all the facts on the table, so until I do, I need to keep this to myself, keep everyone calm, but I know I’m gonna have to tell them, just not right now”  
\--------------------------  
Arthur walks in, travels over the Inspector and passes him a note  
(Hostess) “Oh…kay?”  
(Heiress) “Oohh, don’t look now, but someone’s got it in for Neal”  
(Ex-war-vet [over the Heiress]) “Oooohhhh!!!”  
(Inspector) “OK, do us all a favour and get your mind out of the gutter”  
(Psychic [over the inspector]) “Not everyone wants to immediately get in the sacs with someone, like you seem to”  
(Hostess) “Well, what is it?”  
The Inspector reads the note, but upon the first sentence or two, his face seems to drop and folds it up with a nervous expression  
(Psychic) “What, what’s wrong?”  
(Reverend) “What did it say?”  
(Heiress [over the Reverend]) “Ok, not you HAVE to tell us what it says”  
(Chauffeur) “SPILL, SPILL, SPILL, SPILL, SPILL, SPILL, SPILL”  
The Chauffeur continues his chanting slamming his hand on the table with the Professor and the Ex-War-Vet following suit with this gesture. Before they can get an answer, Sarah comes into the room with a silver plate and cloche presumably hiding the final coarse underneath. The table exclaims with excitement.  
(Hostess [over the cheers) “Lovely!”  
(Doctor [over the cheers]) “Is it red velvet? I hope it’s red velvet, I heard it’s a 1920s delicacy and I’ve always wanted to try it!”  
(Chauffeur) “No, I’m pretty sure red velvet cake, came from the Victorian era…”  
All of a sudden, the Inspector leans over and starts coughing up blood! And then everything just switches from peace to pandemonium, everyone is screaming with ‘OH MY GOD’ and ‘WHAT THE HELL”  
(Chauffeur [stands up in concern]) “Neal! Oh, my god!”  
A few of the guests rush over to the Inspector to see if they can help, while others back away from the table, as if to think they might catch whatever the Inspector has.  
\----------------------  
(Ex-war-vet [leans back with his arms in the air in defense) “WHAT THE HELL!?!?”  
\----------------------  
(Professor) “All of a sudden, Neal is just coughing…like the worst kind of cough you can think of. There’s blood everywhere!”  
\-----------------------  
(Heiress) “All over the table, all over the china, all over my hand, in my hair, somehow in my mouth, it was disgusting!”  
\------------------------  
(Musician) WHAT THE ACTUAL HELL!? WHAT THE ACTUAL HELL!?!”  
Everyone is just paralyzed in shock and confusion at this point. The only guests that are active, are the Chauffeur and Professor who are laying the Inspector on the ground positioning him on his side, so he won’t swallow his own blood, the Heiress who is pacing up and down wiping off the blood that managed to get on her tongue and the Doctor who is trying to ring for someone on a rotary phone but doesn’t realize she needs to spin the numbers rather than press them.  
(Inspector[weakly]) “I think I’ve been poisoned”  
(Reverend [to himself]) “Oh my god…”  
(Chauffeur [over the Reverend]) “You think!?”  
(Professor [to the guests]) “He said, he was poisoned!”  
(Hostess) “WHAT!?”  
(Psychic) “Oh, Jesus…”  
(Photographer) “By who!? By who!? By who!?”  
(Musician) “BY HER! [points at Sarah] OBVIOUSLY!”  
(Ex-war-vet) “I bet it was her! [points at Sarah] I bet she had something to do with it!”  
\-------------------------  
(Hostess) “We’re all in a state of shock, one of our friends is on the floor, he’s coughing up blood, and as the Hostess to this party, I should be concerned about him and his well-being, and I am, but at that point, the sight of all that blood, everything in my brain just went into shut-down mode for me. This is just a horrible feeling. I’ve never felt this bad in my life!”  
\-------------------------  
(Psychic) “Wait a minute, what does the note say? What does the note say?”  
The Ex-war-vet almost immediately heads to the end of the table to read the paper passed to the Inspector.  
(Ex-war-vet) “It’s says he’s been poisoned!”  
(Hostess) “WHAT!?”  
(Reverend) “Oh, god…”  
(Ex-war-vet) “In fifteen minutes, you’ll be dead, your lungs filled with blood…”  
(Musician) “WAIT! SO HE KNEW!? HE KNEW BEFORE HAND AND HE DIDN’T EVEN FREAKING BOTHER TO TELL US RIGHT AWAY!? WHAT THE HELL!?  
(Psychic [over the Musician at the Doctor who’s still trying to call someone]) “Will you leave that alone!? That’s clearly not working!”  
(Ex-war-vet) “Wait, wait, wait! Everyone just shut up for a minute, there’s more! However, you know I love games. There is an antidote – ANTIDOTE!”  
(Chauffeur [stands back up in interest]) “Oh my god! For real!?”  
(Ex-war-vet [with a raised voice as if to prevent further interruptions]) “Hidden on the first floor of the house!”  
(Psychic) “Wait, are we talking our first floor [gestures upstairs] or America’s flirst…first floor?” [gestures around their current area])  
(Reverend) “We are in America right now, so…”  
(Ex-war-vet [over the Psychic and Reverend]) “If you and your friends are wise enough, they’ll be able to solve the clues and save you. The symbols of your cult mark the clues leading to the antidote. It all begins with your last dish of the night. May you die a horrible pain. My cursed enemy.”  
(Photographer) “Last dish?”  
(Hostess and Doctor[nervously]) “Her [points at Sarah] …her…”  
(Ex-war-vet) “She’s got the last dish”  
Sarah proceeds to continue her duty and places the cloche at the centre of the table, prompting the guests to nervously gather around it  
(Professor [to the Inspector as he joins the group]) “Stay on your side, OK?”  
(Psychic [nervously as she steps away from the group]) “Ooohhh…gods…”  
(Hostess [nervously over the Psychic]) “What’s underneath there…?”  
(Professor) “Someone’s gotta open that…someone’s gotta…”  
(Ex-war-vet) “I’ll do it, I’ll do it, I’ll do it”  
(Psychic) “No, you guys, I’ve got a really bad feeling about this…”  
But the Ex-war-vet removes the cloche anyway, revealing the head of a brown-haired man on a layer of leaves and flower-shaped fruits. The guests, unsurprisingly scream at the sight of this backing away from the table once again.  
\-----------------------  
(Reverend) “Oh my giddy aunt!!! What in the world is going on around here!?!”  
\-----------------------  
(Doctor) “The sight of that head alone, just makes me feel sick, both for obvious reasons and the fact that this guy would look like my dad if he had grey and black hair”  
\-----------------------  
The dining room is once again in chaos, half the group are paralyzed in shock, while the other half are running around screaming and panicking. Arthur is trying his best to calm the latter of the group down while a few members of the former attempt push themselves through their stupor and take another look at the head. The Chauffeur is analysing the front of the head and spots something in his toothless mouth.  
(Chauffeur) “You guys, there’s something in his mouth”  
(Musician) “WHAT!? OH GOD! DON’T YOU FREAKING DARE!!!”  
(Reverend) “Peaks, be careful, man”  
The Chauffeur goes into the mouth and pulls out a piece of paper with a new set of text written on it.  
(Musician) “WHY THE HELL HASN’T ANYONE CALLED THE POLICE, I’M PRETTY SURE CALLING THE POLICE IS ANY FREAKING SANE PERSON’S FIRST FREAKING IDEA”  
(Doctor) “I tried. The phone wasn’t working”  
(Chauffeur) “Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey! Everyone shut up for a sec!”  
(Hostess) “What’s it say? What’s it say?”  
(Chauffeur) “Something is not okay with this room. I like it in a perfect order but certain things wander around the table instead of finding their perfect fit. Can you figure it out?”  
(Ex-war-vet) “That doesn’t make any sense”  
(Psychic [over the Ex-war-vet]) “That sounds like the description of our cat”  
(Heiress) “Oh, god, please tell me we’re not gonna go looking for a cat!”  
(Photographer) “I’m allergic to cats!”  
(Chauffeur [sarcastically over the Photographer]) “Yeah, because the antidote’s just gonna be dangling from this kitty cat’s collar”  
(Professor) “Ok, clearly there’s something out of place in this room, we just need to find it and we need to find it quickly”  
(Ex-war-vet [starts clapping his hands]) “Alright, come one guys, a man’s life is literary on the clock here! We need to work fast!”  
\-------------------------  
(Musician) So, we’re supposed to look for something but we don’t know what. We’re looking around, but not much is being done, it looks just like we’re doing this ‘follow the leader’ thing around the table at one point. Basically NO ONE is putting any effort into this search! ESPECIALLY Gloria, she’s just standing around eating bread while everyone else is looking. Hello!? A guy is drowning in his own blood over here!”  
\-------------------------  
(Doctor [searching]) “I have no idea, what I’m doing”  
\--------------------------  
(Musician) “OH! MY! GOD!!! I mean at least, Sammy and what’s-her-face who’s related to Patrick was putting in some of the effort, thank Jesus freaking Christ”  
\--------------------------  
The Professor has parted the chairs so he can travel underneath and analyse the underside of the table. Meanwhile, the Psychic has taken down a picture frame from the wall and is taking it apart to hopefully find a clue inside.  
No luck.  
(Chauffeur [crouching down waiting for the Professor]) “Anything?”  
(Professor) “I got nothing” [crawls out from underneath the table]  
(Hostess) “Wait, what did that first note say? The first note Neal got about a symbol”  
(Reverend) “Oh yeah, there something about a symbol leading us to the antidote”  
(Doctor) “Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah”  
The Hostess returns to the first note and picks it up to examine the symbol.  
(Professor) “Ok, so what are we looking for?”  
(Hostess) “Um…it’s like a ring with…weird swirls in it…”  
This isn’t the most helpful information and the guests show that by staring at their Hostess in disbelief, except for the Heiress who laughs herself senseless  
(Ex-war-vet) “A ring with weird swirls!? That’s all you got!?”  
(Chauffeur [sarcastically]) “Lady, you’re sense for crucial information is phenomenon!”  
(Hostess) “Wha- I’m sorry I don’t know how else to describe it!”  
(Psychic) “The woodwork and the wallpaper is littered with freaking rings and swirls! You need to be a little bit more specific!”  
(Photographer [over the Psychic]) “Wait, I’m confused, I thought we were supposed to be looking for an object or something.”  
(Doctor) “Aw, god, Neal’s gonna die!”  
Close to losing her patience, the Musician storms over the Hostess and snatches the paper out of her hands and takes a quick look to make her take on the symbol  
(Musician) “Ok, we’re looking for something that looks like a pair of upside-down letters, J and N, that’s crammed up in a circle”  
(Psychic) “Ok, [goes back to searching] J and N, J and N, J and N, J and N, J and N…  
(Ex-war-vet [over the Psychic]) “Oh, see that wasn’t hard to describe, was it?”  
(Photographer [looking around]) “J.N.N?  
(Professor and Chauffeur) “No”  
(Chauffeur) “J AND N”  
(Photographer) “Oh”  
(Reverend [suddenly]) “OH! Wait a minute! [runs over to the window] I already saw that symbol!”  
\----------------------  
(Reverend) Thea, describes the symbol to us and right there and then, it just clicks. I remember seeing that symbol before tea. It was on, like a glass holder for three, and I spotted the symbol on the top-left and I thought the thing was upside-down, so I switched it back to what I thought was right side up. That is until now”  
\---------------------  
(Reverend [shows everyone the glass holder]) “Is this it?”  
(Musician) “YES!”  
(Hostess) “Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah! That’s it, that’s it”  
\-----------------------  
(Musician) “And then, FINALLY, everyone is in go mode. We’re all scurrying around the place for four or five minutes looking for the matching glass, found with the holder, sometimes we get the right one mostly we get the wrong one – mostly thanks to Gloria! [makes an infuriated groan]”  
\----------------------  
(Musician) “HOW IN THE HELL, DID YOU LOOK AT THIS GLASS AND THINK THAT THIS WAS RIGHT!?”  
(Photographer) “You told me to find a glass that fit the slot!”  
(Hostess) “That was before we realized this holder came with a specific glass!”  
(Musician [over the Hostess]) “THIS IS WAY TOO DAMN SMALL!!”  
(Photographer) “Oh my god, first it’s too tall, then it’s too fancy, now it’s too small, what do you want from me!?”  
(Musician) “WE WANT YOU TO PAY MORE ATTENTION!!”  
(Chauffeur [comes rushing in]) “Guys, I think I got it this time! I think I got it this time!”  
The Chauffeur indeed has the correct glass and places it on the holder with the first two glasses and a chest nearby corresponds to this by opening up it’s contents to the room, ultimately starting the guests that were still searching  
(Psychic) “WHOA! [backs away] JESUS CHRIST!!”  
(Hostess) “What? What happened?”  
(Doctor [shakily pointing at the opened chest) “Th-th-that opened, that opened”  
(Psychic) “What the hell did you guys do over there!?!”  
(Chauffeur) “We just put the glasses on”  
The guest soon crowd around the chest  
(Psychic) “What’s in there?”  
(Reverend) “Another clue?”  
(Hostess [looks inside first]) “Oh, shit, no! [quickly crouches down to the chest’s level] The antidote!”  
(Professor [rushes over]) “For real!?”  
Chauffeur [over the Professor]) “Oh my god, yes!”  
Inside are three cage-like compartments visibly showing off a vial each containing a murky orange substance. All three are sealed by a padlock however they don’t seem to have come with keys. The Chauffeur tries to force the padlocks open while the Professor circles around the chest to locate any keys. The Hostess is examining the keyhole to the padlock when the Reverend points something out on the top of the chest’s lid  
(Reverend) “Wait a minute, wait a minute. There seems to be another note. There…”  
(Hostess [under her breath]) “Oh, jeez, me without my glasses”  
(Chauffeur [over the Hostess’s mumbling]) “Aaawww, come on!”  
(Hostess [slowly and almost robotically]) “There…are…three…keys to…unlock…life…”  
(Heiress) “Ok [politely pulls the Hostess away] we’re gonna be here all night with your reading [chuckles]”  
(Chauffeur [kneels in centre of the chest]) “In the first-floor study, one key to life is as high the mountain top. In the library is the second key which hidden beneath the nine circles of hell described by letters and words. In the foyer is the third key to find which can easily be found but no one person can retrieve without the helping hand of a friend”  
(Musician) “Oh, Jesus, can we go back to thinking we have to find a cat?”  
(Professor [over the Musician]) “I feel like we should’ve been writing some notes or something”


	4. One down...

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The quickest time to reach a mountaintop  
> A land of numbers, when promised letters and words  
> A blind mouse that is soon to be deaf  
> All of which will never be enough

The guests split off into three small groups. The Psychic, Hostess and Reverend depart to the study. The Chauffeur, Doctor, Photographer, and Heiress head over to the library. And the remaining guests, the Professor, Musician and Ex-war-vet make their way to the foyer where they are immediately met an unusual large box that takes up most the space of the room.  
(Professor) “Wait…when in the hell did this get here?”  
\--------------------------  
(Ex-war-vet) “So we find this giant box in the middle of the foyer and our first intuition is to put our hand in the hole, like maybe one of these holes contains the key we need”  
\--------------------------  
The Musician and the Ex-war-vet are searching around in the holes while the Professor is circling around the box searching for something that might give them a hint to the task at hand, when the Musician reaches in the far end hole and…  
(Musician) “OH! Wait! I found something! I found something!”  
(Ex-war-vet) “Really?”  
The two males stop what they’re doing and rush over to the Musician.  
(Ex-war-vet) “Is it the key?”  
(Professor [over the Ex-War-vet]) “Can you get it?”  
(Musician) “No, it’s like a…it’s like a box. I…can’t get it over here”  
(Ex-war-vet) “Have you tried grabbing the corners?”  
(Professor [over the Ex-war-vet]) “Wait, there’s a square hole over there…”  
\---------------------------  
(Ex-war-vet) “We quickly realize that our task is to like guide this little box to the square hole with the help of the normal holes.  
\----------------------------  
(Professor) It’s basically like a blind mouse maze game”  
\----------------------------  
(Chauffeur) “Somehow, I wind up with the worst team for the worst task of the three. We’re supposed to be looking for some kind of book about nine circles of hell, and none of the members of my group, are really that helpful. A couple of them are still a bit shell-shocked from seeing Neal coughing up blood in-front of them, a couple of them aren’t taking this all that seriously, like at all!”  
\----------------------------  
(Doctor [under her breath while aimlessly searching]) “Neal’s gonna be fine…it’s just pretend, it’s just pretend, it’s just pretend, it’s just pre-[coughs]. It’s just pretend, like Agatha Christie’s lived in the 1920s right so clearly this party in Christie themed so of course someone is gonna get murdered rather gruesomely right…”  
(Photographer [over the Doctor’s mumbling]) “What are we looking for again?”  
(Heiress [over the Doctor’s mumbling]) “…uuuhhh…”  
(Chauffeur [over the doctor’s mumbling] “We’re looking for a book about nine circles of hell…or at least something along those lines; it could be metaphorical for something like the dead head note back there”  
(Photographer [over the Doctor’s mumbling]) “Oh, ok, ok” [keeps searching]  
(Heiress [over the Doctor’s mumbling]) “Um…guys I…I’m not sure if I supposed to but… [holds up a book] there’s a book with a padlock and…I’m not really sure, but I feel like this is important?”  
\----------------------------  
(Hostess) “So, the clue for the study room says the key to life is as high as a mountaintop. We walk in and almost immediately, Poppy spots something in one of the mountain paintings”  
\----------------------------  
(Psychic) “There”  
Somewhere around the mountain something is sticking out of the painting. The Hostess climbs up and starts pulling out what appears to be a string  
(Reverend) “Careful…”  
At point one the string gets but the hostess gives it a good yanking which releasing the whole thing from the painting with something metal tied to the end of it.  
(Hostess [gleefully] “A key! A key!”  
(Reverend) “Oh my god!”  
(Psychic) “YES!!!”  
\-----------------------------  
(Hostess) “Kinda sketchy, in my personal opinion that Poppy spotted it that quickly, that faraway”  
\-----------------------------  
(Hostess) “We got it!”  
(Professor) “You got it!?”  
(Hostess [rushing past]) “Yeah, we got the first key!”  
(Ex-war-vet) “Oh my god”  
(Professor) “Good job guys!”  
(Ex-war-vet) “Ok, we clearly need to pick up the pace”  
\------------------------------  
(Ex-war-vet) “We’re clearly doing something wrong, because study group had found theirs exceptionally quick, and we’ve barely got our past the second, third hole”  
\--------------------------------  
(Ex-war-vet) “Move out the way [pulls the Musician away] I’ll do it, I’ll do it”  
(Professor) “This isn’t a race!”  
(Musician) “Neal’s life is on the line, so in a way, it kind of is”  
Back at the library the nine-circles quartet has gathered around the book, the Heiress found.  
(Chauffeur) “Wormwood and…asmo…deus…the hell?”  
(Heiress [chuckles]) “Who the hell, comes up with these names?”  
(Photographer) “Wait, I thought we were looking for a book about nine circles of hell”  
(Chauffeur [over the Photographer]) “Furious with the lesser devil’s failure to bring more souls he asks the ages. Wormwood, realizes this in his chance to confound the king of devils and avoid his fiery wrath and gives him a riddle instead of a straight answer”  
\-----------------------------------  
(Heiress) “The book that we found has this demonic looking calligraphy on it that gives Anita’s and my old man’s handwriting a run for their money and also this math problem that gets us all infuriated because a) everybody hates math, that’s fact of life and b) who has even practised math after GCSE?”  
\-----------------------------------  
(Heiress) “Oh my god. I knew I should’ve gone Anita”  
(Chauffeur) “Where the heck, is our Wormwood at, I want to give him a right good hiding!”  
Despite the current frustrations, the Heiress can’t help but cackle at the Chauffeur’s statement.  
Elsewhere the mountaintop trio has managed to locate the correct padlock to the key they found.  
(Reverend [takes out the antidote]) “I got it!”  
(Hostess [triumphantly]) “Oh, my god. YES!”  
\-----------------------------  
(Psychic) “I’m looking ahead in the foyer and the library and I find a little concerning that the other groups have some sort of obstacle to get to their key while we just had to simply pull a string. Also, not a hundred percent confident this stuff is the genuine antidote. It just looks like a concoction of still lemonade and juice squeezed from a dead orange”  
\------------------------------  
(Arthur [Out to the other groups]) “We need all three in order to cure him!”  
(Psychic) “Why all three. They all look the same?  
(Hostess [over the Psychic]) “Oh, god. You guys hurry up!”  
(Professor) “We’re trying! We’re trying!”  
(Psychic [over the professor while gesturing at the now empty vial]) “How do we know…how do we know that stuff even works?”  
(Professor) “Oh god, we gotta hurry up, we gotta hurry up!”  
(Ex-war-vet [over the Professor]) “No, no, no, you gotta push it back.  
(Musician) “I know”  
(Ex-war-vet [over the Musican]) “You gotta push it all the way back [makes a push gesture forward] and then push it all the way back again” [makes a push gesture to the right]  
(Musician) “I know! I know! I heard you the first time!”  
(Professor) “Guys seriously, Neal is dying we gotta hurry up!”  
(Ex-war-vet [over the Professor]) “Are you sure you’re pushing forward it feels like you’re not…”  
(Musician [quite suddenly]) “I AAAM!!!”  
The Professor and Ex-war-vet gets startled by the Musician’s outburst  
\----------------------------  
(Musician) I’m trying to figure this out and I’ve got two guys nagging in both my ears [in a deep voice] ‘uh, no you’re doing this wrong Thea’, ‘uh, you got to hurry up Thea’, ‘neh, neh, neh, neh, neh’ [in her normal] HOW ABOUT INSTEAD OF STANDING AROUND, NAGGING, YOU GUYS GIVE ME A MINUTE TO ACTUALLY DO SOMETHING!!”  
\----------------------------  
(Professor) “Someone should probably have their hand in on the side so when the box comes, so they can grab it and then push it to the front”  
(Ex-war-vet [tries to look through the holes]) “Well not, all the way because, the square’s just right there, so I feel like there’s a hole either on the side or at the bottom we need to place it through. Hang on, hang on” [attempts to reach in to feel around]  
(Musician) “No, no, no, no, no! [shove the Ex-war-vet out of the way] I’m doing it, I’m doing it!” [reaches in]  
\---------------------------  
(Professor) “From what I got from the clue, this is supposed to be a team effort, but every time me and Robert try to help, Theodora is either screaming at us or pushing us away stuck in this ‘I can do it myself’ mindset and it’s getting frustrating, because we are genuinely trying to help and she’s treating us like we’re some nuisance to her”  
\-----------------------------  
(Doctor) “So, three young ones…”  
(Chauffeur) “Yeah”  
(Heiress) “And we need to figure out their ages”  
(Chauffeur) “So first it says if you multiply their ages you get the number thirty-six…”  
\----------------------------  
(Photographer) “First we’re supposed find nine circles then we’re supposed to find out someone’s age then we’re supposed to add something up the thirty-six …which clue is supposed to help us find the key, I’m confused!”  
\-----------------------------  
(Chauffeur) “Ok, then it says if you add all the ages together you will get the number of devils in the grand council”  
(Photographer) “Nine! Because the clue had nine circles of hell”  
(Heiress) “It can’t be that”  
(Photographer) “It is! The first clue said nine circles, so it’s got to be nine!”  
(Heiress [over the photographer]) “What three numbers equals up to both nine and thirty-six!?”  
\------------------------------  
(Chauffeur) “My group’s at a dead end. Everybody, clearly had an F on our math tests because no one was coming up with any better suggestions than nine. So I bolt over back to the dining room where Cocky, Poppy and Anita are just standing around. I grab my sister because I know her and I know how much she was a math fanatic back in secondary school”  
\-----------------------------  
(Chauffeur) “Pops. [points at the library] Library. Math problem. We need help”  
The Chauffeur rushes back to the library with the Psychic close at toe.  
\-----------------------------  
(Psychic) “Uh, Patrick, I appreciate the vote of confidence, but um…you do recall I got a C in math GCSE, right?”  
\-----------------------------  
(Psychic) “Wait…so, three ages. And they all times up to thirty-six and add up to nine?”  
(Photographer) “Yes”  
(Heiress [over the Photographer]) “No!”  
\----------------------------  
(Heiress) “Is this bitch, just being stupid on purpose or what!?”  
\----------------------------  
(Photographer) “Two add four add three will equals nine”  
(Psychic) “Yeah, but times them together you get twenty-four not thirty-six”  
(Photographer) “Five add two…”  
(Psychic) “Add two. That’ll equal up to twenty”  
(Doctor) “What about straight up three, three, three?”  
(Psychic and Heiress) “That’s twenty-seven!”  
(Arthur [from the dining room]) “We only have three minutes!”  
(Chauffeur) “Oh, shit!”  
(Psychic) “Uuuhhhaaahhh!!!”  
(Chauffeur) “Poppy, seriously you really need to think…”  
(Psychic) “I’m trying but the only two I can think of both add up to thirteen, not nine!”  
(Photographer) “No, it has to be nine! The clue said so…”  
(Heiress) “The clue didn’t say anything about it being nine!”  
(Chauffeur [at the Heiress and Photographer]) “Hey, hey! Hold on, hold on! Shut up! [at the Psychic] what are the two number combinations?”  
(Psychic) “Um, well, there’s six, six, one [points at the Photographer] but there’s also nine, two and two”  
(Doctor) “So, it could be nine, two, two”  
(Psychic) “Or six, six, one”  
(Heiress [over the Psychic]) “Or two, nine, two”  
(Chauffeur) “Ok, Ok, we’ll try the nine combinations first and if that doesn’t work, we’ll try the sixes”  
(Doctor) “Ok, Ok” [grabs the book]  
(Heiress [over the Doctor]) “Well, we better do them quickly! We literally have three minutes!”  
Back in the foyer, the Reverend walks in on the helping-hand trio who are still struggling to retrieve the key  
(Reverend) “Do you need any help?”  
(Musician [immediately]) “No!”  
(Reverend) “Are you sure…”  
(Musician) “No! We’re fine! [pushes the box the wrong way] aaww, shit!”  
(Ex-war-vet) “That’s the third time you’ve done that!”  
(Musician) “Well, maybe if guys weren’t standing around and actually try and help me!”  
(Ex-war-vet) “We’ve been trying to help the whole time!”  
(Musician) “NO YOU HAVEN’T! YOU’VE JUST BEEN YELLING AT ME!”  
(Professor [leaning on the box with a partially given-up tone]) “We genuinely have been trying to help”  
(Musician [oblivious to the Professor’s statement]) “NEAL IS GONNA FREAKING DIE IF YOU DON’T GET IT TOGETHER!”  
(Ex-war-vet) “Me!? I’m not the one hogging all the holes screaming at everyone!”  
\------------------------------------  
(Reverend) “Robert and Thea start yelling and screaming, which probably wouldn’t haven’t happened if I hadn’t interrupted them, but at the same time, Neal is still dying! There is a time and a place to argue and now is definitely not the time!”  
\------------------------------------  
(Doctor) “Two…and then nine…”  
On the third attempt the padlock finally releases giving the nine-circle group access to the book causing a response with a collection of excited gasps  
(Psychic [throws arms up triumphantly]) “YES!!!”  
(Heiress [gleefully]) “Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes!!”  
(Chauffeur [over the Heiress, while snatching the book off the doctor]) “Oh my god! Oh my god!”  
\-------------------------------------  
(Heiress) “Inside, each page has this specific key shaped holes and on the final page is this a real key, the key that we need to get to the antidote. The only problem is it’s really rammed in there and the pages seemed to be glued to each other. So, ok, we’re gonna need to put a lot of force into this”  
\--------------------------------------  
The Doctor runs off looking for an object to aid them, while the Chauffeur closes the book again and starts slamming it into the table with great force. He quickly re-opens to find a lack of a result.  
(Doctor) “Wait, wait, I got something” [comes running back with a peacock feather]  
(Heiress [chuckles]) “What are we gonna do with that?”  
(Doctor) “I thought we could use it to pry it out”  
(Psychic) “We need something stronger than that, like a pair of scissors or…”  
(Chauffeur) “Or a knife! A knife!”  
(Heiress) “Dining room!”  
The Heiress immediately runs back to the dining room, grabs a nearby knife on the table and rushes back all with the Psychic following close behind.  
(Arthur [as the Heiress and Psychic, rush by him]) “Please, hurry! Ninety seconds!”  
(Chauffeur) “Oh, god. Guys, c’mon, c’mon, c’mon, c’mon!”  
(Heiress [comes running in]) “Here, here, here, here! We got it. We got it!”  
(Chauffeur) “Gimme that!”  
The Chauffeur snatches the knife off the Heiress and starts stabbing it into the side of the key”  
(Chauffeur [in a muffled frustration]) “Come on…come on…”  
(Heiress) “Oh, god, we gotta hurry”  
Eventually, the Chauffeur manages to pry the key out earning the group the second key  
(Chauffeur) “YES!!”  
(Psychic) “Oh my gods!”  
(Heiress [over the Psychic) “Get it, get it, get it!”  
The Doctor obeys the Heiress and the group dispatches back to the dining room.  
(Chauffeur [while running]) “Just to be clear, I did all that!”  
(Psychic [while running]) “Yeah, yeah, yeah”  
(Chauffeur [over the Psychic while running]) “I was able to loosen before the knife thing, so I helped, I helped a lot”  
(Psychic) “Sure thing, bro, whatever helps you sleep at night”  
(Photographer) “Wait, which lock is this for?” [gesturing to the two locked compartments]  
(Psychic) “Just pick one and go for it, that’s what we did”  
Doctor starts out by trying the middle compartment and by a close-call of a miracle the key fits and the compartment opens to the next vial of the antidote  
(Doctor) “Ok, I got it, I got it [grabs the vial and passes it the Inspector] come on, Neal…”  
(Arthur) “Ladies and gentlemen…time is up…”  
Almost on cue, the Inspector’s body goes limp, dropping the vial and spilling the antiodote all over the floor  
(Arthur) “Neal is dead”


	5. ...Ten to go

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Basic mystery genre storyline  
> Someone dies  
> You try to figure who did it  
> You discover a dark secret that you didn't want to know about  
> And the story will end a twist so shocking that your mind will blow sky high

(Chauffeur) “NO!!!”  
The dining room is flooded in the grieving screams and wails. The Hostess is crouching down to the now-dead Inspector’s level wailing to the air as she clings onto his limp shoulder. The Heiress has the Doctor in her embrace as the latter sobs in the former’s shoulder. Everyone else stands there in a mix of shock and despair, staring down at the fallen guest, except for the Psychic whose eyes are on the Chauffeur in concern.  
(Psychic [sympathetically]) “Patrick, I’m so sorry”  
The remaining guests return from the foyer to be met with a dead Inspector and a visibly angered Hostess.  
(Hostess) “What the hell happened!?”  
(Professor) “The key was in this maze of a box, we couldn’t get it out”  
(Hostess [over the Professor]) “Because of you guys, Neal is dead, so what the hell happened!?”  
(Musician) “IT’S NOT OUR FAULT OUR TASK FOR THE KEY WAS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE!!”  
(Ex-war-vet) “Well, maybe if someone had let her friends help out, maybe we would’ve got it a little faster!”  
(Musician) “DON’T YOU DARE TRY AND PIN THIS BLOODY SHIT ON ME! YOU HAD EVERY OPPORTUNITY TO HELP BUT ALL YOU DID WAS COMPLAIN BOUT HOW WRONG…”  
(Ex-war-vet) “I was feeling ahead so I could guide you! If there was anyone who didn’t do anything it was Sam!”  
(Reverend) “Wait…”  
(Heiress) “What about you two right here!?[pointing at the Hostess and Reverend] You looked like you had plenty of time on your hands, why didn’t you help!?”  
(Chauffeur [over the Heiress]) “Uuuhhh, leave Sammy out of this please!”  
(Reverend [over the Heiress]) “Hold on, hold on…”  
(Professor [over the Heiress, disappointed]) “No, he’s not wrong; I didn’t do much”  
Everyone starts shouting at each other at all once. The Hostess remains on the floor with her hand still on the Inspector, now more protectively. The Reverend is standing in between the Musician and Ex-war-vet trying to separate them before another murder is set in place, but still keeps his distance away from the Heiress and the Musician who both look like they want to slap everyone in this room. The Photographer has taken a seat far away from the group, not wanting to be apart of this argument  
(Doctor) “Who even poisoned him to begin with is what I want to know”  
(Ex-war-vet) “The only one who had open access to his food was Emma”  
(Hostess) “No, no, it wasn’t her!”  
(Heiress [over the Hostess]) “It wasn’t me!”  
(Chauffeur) “I was sitting in front of Emma the whole time, alright? She didn’t even look at Neal’s plate before he came back”  
(Heiress) “Thank you!”  
(Reverend) “Can we at least cover up the body with a blanket or something?”  
(Musician [over the Reverend]) “OH, AND HOW THE HELL WOULD YOU KNOW!? HALF THE MEAL YOU AND YOUR SISTER WERE ARGUING OVER THE COLOUR OF SOME STUPID GLASSES”  
(Psychic) “I personally, think it was Gloria. She was the last to be seen with him!”  
(Photographer [stands up with her hands in the air defiantly]) “It wasn’t me either, I swear!”  
(Heiress [over the Photographer]) “Yeah, not to mention she was acting like a complete dumbass the entire time!”  
\------------------------------  
(Professor) “Yeah, everyone just starts going off on each other, pointing fingers at each other, mainly on Gloria, which I can see why they’d think that but at the same time – and…sorry if this comes off as insensitive – but, you don’t really need an inspector to know you need evidence in order to prove anything, and at this point there’s nothing to prove that Gloria or anyone was involved in Neal’s death.”  
\------------------------------  
(Heiress) “I mean…Neal was gay for crying out loud! Gays are supposed to be real sweethearts, Joey Graceffa and Neal himself are proof of that, Neal in the awkward dorky sort, but the only reason everyone saw him on a blue moon, was because he was looking after his grandma and her dogs. So, I don’t really know why someone would want to murder him, let alone who”  
\-------------------------------  
(Professor) “We need to look at the facts! Does anyone even know if Emma or Gloria have some form of motif to kill him?”  
(Photographer) “I haven’t talked to Neal since Leap year!”  
(Heiress [over the Photographer]) “All I know is no-one is stupid enough to believe you can make nine and thirty-six out of the same three numbers, worst school subject or not.”  
(Hostess [stands up]) “I honestly don’t think it’s either of them. I do think that Poppy, is the person involved”  
(Psychic and Chauffeur) “What!?”  
(Hostess [over the Psychic and Chauffeur]) “She’s the one with Neal’s death and she’s gonna kill someone else!”  
(Doctor) “Exaggerate, much?”  
(Chauffeur [defensively]) “I’m sorry, Anita. You want to enlighten us all on that opinion to us, please!?”  
(Psychic [over the Chauffeur]) “What did I do to get my name on the plate!? I’ve been trying to help the whole time!”  
\------------------------  
(Hostess) “All I’m saying is, we found our key quicker than the others thanks to Poppy and then the group in the library managed to get their key, but only when Poppy came over to help, she must know more than she’s letting on to!”  
\--------------------------  
(Hostess) “All I’m saying, we got our key in only a few seconds, because of you!”  
(Psychic) “No! We managed to get our key in a few seconds, because there wasn’t an obstacle in the way!”  
(Hostess) “Ok, well, how do you explain how so saw the string from so far away”  
(Psychic) “It’s not my fault, I’ve got good vision!”  
(Chauffeur [over the Psychic]) “She has been rather famous in the family for her eagle eyes, ok!?”  
(Photographer) “You guys, what if it’s not even any of us? What if it’s the maid?”  
The Photographer points over to Sarah who is standing on the side in silent but doesn’t prove her point by the group catching her trying to stay in her stone-face expression, suggesting she too may be have been shaken by the recent events.  
(Heiress) “…Yeah…”  
(Psychic) “Why would she want to kill him? She only just met him today.”  
(Photographer) “You were talking about open access to food, and who’s better at open food accessing than the one serving the food!”  
\------------------------------  
(Doctor) “So, um, we’re all standing around arguing on who killed Neal, while that’s happening Arthur, the butler goes out of his way to examine the body. And I’m thinking to myself ‘mate, the guy just died, maybe…show a little respect or something”  
\-------------------------------  
(Arthur) “I’m sorry to interrupt, but I found this letter on Neal’s person”  
The whole room was in sudden silence once more, staring in confusion at the butler as he presents a piece of paper to the Hostess, who reluctantly takes but is then swiped from the Ex-war-vet.  
(Doctor) “Wait…is he allowed to do that?  
(Reverend [over the Doctor]) “What does it say?”  
(Ex-war-vet) “If you’re reading this, I have failed in my mission. My killer is not who you think it is. It’s… [frowns at the words in confusion] It’s the house itself?”  
Equally confused expressions are spread across the guests.  
(Psychic) “Wait…what?”  
The Professor takes the letter from the Ex-war-vet, to see if maybe the Ex-war-vet misread it somehow, but it turns out he didn’t. Furthermore, the Professor continued reading aloud the context to the group.  
(Professor) “Which is possessed of an ancient evil that has locked it in time. I came here tonight with the intention of destroying it. I am a member of a secret organization known as the Society Against Evil and we’ve been battling this wicked force for centuries.  
There are four artefacts which the evil has hidden throughout the house behind a series of puzzles and clues. If they can be gathered and a binding ritual performed, the evil will be locked away. However, to complete the final task to retrieve each artefact, the group must vote on two people who must undertake a dark challenge. Tragically, one of them will die.”  
The Doctor, Photographer and Musician gasp at this section of information in horror, while other guests like the Hostess and Reverend’s jaws open only wider. The Psychic’s hand instinctively reaches out for the Chauffeur’s shoulder, squeezing it tightly in fear of letting go.  
(Professor) “But to help you along the way, the Society Against Evil has marked the clues with their symbol. You have until sunrise to recover the artefacts before you are trapped here forever. What lies ahead will not be easy but I’m afraid you have no other choice if you want to get back to 2019.”  
The words of the letter alone leaves the room in an awestruck silence. Everyone’s eyes filled in fear and dread for their own lives, some staring down at the Inspector’s dead body silently praying for this to be a sick joke.  
\-------------------------------  
(Psychic) “The Society Against Evil? That is literally the worst name for an anti-evil cult I've ever heard. At least come up with something original guys. I mean if you turn your logo upside down you get N and J for some reason. Make a name out of those initials instead. At least then the random letters will make more sense.”  
\--------------------------------  
A few of the members are either sitting down or leaning onto the table as the impact of this new information has absorbed them far too quickly.  
(Musician [frantically pacing]) “No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no”  
\--------------------------------  
(Photographer) “I thought this was supposed to be a fun Back To The Future evening, not some horror generic Then There Was One hell evening!”  
\----------------------------------  
(Reverend) “I mean, I’m all for newspaper puzzle or brain game every once in a while, heck I’ve always wanted to try out those escape room things, but this… this is just ridiculous! If we proceed with these challenges, there’s a high chance one of us will die! Like, who would even be stupid enough to put their life on the line like that!?”  
\----------------------------------  
(Hostess) “Hey, hey, everyone just calm down ok!? Listen, there’s a car, we can use it to get of here and back to 2019”  
(Musician) “Yes please!  
(Ex-war-vet [over the Musician]) “Hell, I’m down for that!”  
The guests hurry to the port where they immediately spot the car that brought them here to begin with at the front of the gate, it’s moon white surface contrasting against the garden that is consumed by the blackness of the moonless late night.  
(Hostess) “Guys, come on. We get out of here”  
(Professor) “How are we going to fit in one car”  
(Heiress) “Anita, he’s right. We’re not exactly using a limo to get home”  
(Chauffeur) “Hey, anyone see that Beetle car challenge seven years ago? Nineteen people managed to get in there I’m sure ten of us will be able to fit a Silver Arrow”  
(Psychic) “I think you’re gonna be the only one with that amount of optimism, bro”  
(Musician [over the Psychic]) “I better not wind up with two people sitting on my lap”  
BOOM!!!  
All of a sudden, halfway towards across, the car explodes, startling the guests, sending fire and smoke pulsing upwards. The latter’s colour descends from white to grey to black. Within, it’s now black body a glimpse of a hooded figure mask is seen, for a small moment watching through a plague mask carved from a rotten tree, silently eager of the carnage to come…

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, I'm aware this is supposed to 2016, but small reminder, this is loosely based off a New Year's party for 2019


	6. The Next Quest

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The first stage is a foot  
> For the ten that are doomed  
> Guided by a helping hand  
> Through the forest of words  
> To a monochrome army at their command

(Professor) “So there we all were, rushing over to the car, so we can hopefully go home before any other form of craziness goes loose on us, when…”  
\-------------------------------  
BOOM!!  
The car blows cuing a number of startled screams from the guests, a large number of them stagger back away from the car, including the Musician who walks backwards so quickly, she accidentally knocks the Reverend into the stairs, except for a couple of other guests, such as the Psychic, who immediately is tucks into a ball low on the roadway and the Professor, who jumps as high the exploding car’s smoke and fireball.  
\---------------------------------  
(Musician) “THE CAR JUST FREAKING EXPLODES RIGHT IN FRONT OF US, SENDING EVERYTHING FLYING SKY HIGH!”  
\---------------------------------  
(Hostess) “Everyone is in a state of shock! Our one ticket back home is destroyed! No-one knows what to do…  
…  
I don’t know, what to do…”  
\-----------------------------------  
The guest storm back into the mansion in a blaze of fear and shock, everyone throwing out oh my gods and what the hells all over the place as they travel over the library, with the Reverend trailing behind as he pursues the others, wincing from the back of his hip that hit one of the stone stairs.  
(Chauffeur) “You alright?”  
(Reverend [sitting down]) “Yeah, I think I’ll live”  
(Ex-war-vet [over the Chauffeur and Reverend]) “Ok…so that just… flipping happened!!”  
(Professor) “Wait, so what the hell are we gonna do now!?”  
(Doctor) “What are we gonna do about the guy outside! There’s a guy just laying out there on the grass!”  
(Reverend [over the Doctor]) “I don’t know, man, I have absolutely no idea…”  
(Psychic) “Wait, there’s a guy outside?”  
(Hostess) “What, you didn’t our flipping driver fly across the garden?!”  
(Psychic) “I was more occupied with the car that blew up sky high!”  
(Hostess) “Do you even remember that you were driven, here”? Did you think maybe your brother was gonna drive us home!”  
(Chauffeur [over the Psychic and Hostess]) “Maybe it’s not that bad, maybe we can salvage whatever’s left, and I don’t make something out of it…”  
(Ex-war-vet [over the Psychic and Hostess]) “We’re trapped in the 1920s not a desert island!”  
(Musician [over the Professor, Psychic and Hostess]) “DID YOU SEE THAT FLIPPING FIREBALL THAT WENT UP IN THE AIR, THERE IS NO FREAKING WAY WE’RE GONNA SALVAGE ANYTHING FROM THAT FREAKING CAR!!”  
\---------------------------  
(Psychic) “Sooo…yeah, we’re stuck. We are stuck in the 1920s. We tried to get out of there the quick way but that literally blew up. So that means we’re to have to get out of here the long way but…that’s going to take a lot of work, and specifically four deaths and all I can think of at this point is that…I need to make sure it isn’t Patrick”  
\-----------------------------  
(Reverend) “Here’s the thing, there’s still a chance for us to go back home; we just need to find four artefacts do a ritual on them, and then hopefully, we’ll be home free”  
(Heiress) “Did you miss out the part where four of us has to die for the artefacts!?”  
(Ex-war-vet) “Well, if someone has to die, we need to figure which of the four of us, are the most expendable and we’ll just throw them to the wolves”  
(Musician) “WHAT!?!”  
A number of protests were thrown the Ex-War-vet’s way.  
(Ex-war-vet) “Well, we’re gonna have to vote people in to a challenge, like it or not, that’s what the letter said!”  
(Psychic) “Well then screw that letter. I am not dying and I am not gonna do some stupid vote for some psycho spirit’s entertainment!”  
(Professor) “We’re just gonna have to figure something out along the way! But right now, I don’t see any other option to be honest”  
(Hostess) “I agree. I don’t know about you guys, but I want to get out of here, so what do we know so far that could help?”  
(Chauffeur) “Well, we’ve got that freaky symbol from Neal’s cult that’s gonna lead us to the next clues or next Wormwoods but other than that…”  
(Psychic [at the Chauffeur, puzzled]) “Wormwoods?”  
(Professor [over the Psychic]) “So, basically to need to find those symbols throughout the house and figure out what the clues are to the artefacts”  
(Hostess) “Basically, yeah.”  
(Ex-war-vet) “How much time do we have?”  
(Doctor) “Until sunrise”  
(Chauffeur) “Oh, god”  
(Reverend) “That’s not a lot of time, man”  
(Psychic) “Ok, so what are we all standing around for!? Let’s start searching!”  
(Photographer) “So should we split up or…”  
(Professor) “I say we split, we’ll cover more ground…”  
(Musician) “OH, HELL NO! HAVE YOU EVER WATCHED ANY HORROR MOVIES!? YOU DO NOT SPLIT UP IN THESE SITUATIONS!”  
(Heiress [over the Musician]) “No, no, no, no, no! Splitting up is never a good idea, you guys!”  
(Psychic) “I’m with them, splitting up has never been a wise move”  
(Chauffeur) “Yeah [points at Gloria] Neal and Gloria themselves are proof of that”  
Just then Sarah walks into the conversation carrying a questionably large box. The guests back off from her cautious of her with the recent memory of the head roaming around them all.  
(Sarah) “This arrived in the post earlier today”  
She lifts the packaging revealing a glass cylinder dome on top of a radio-like base. Inside the dome is a hand covered in tattoos and blood, the latter now turned brown from the loss oxygen. Despite the previous caution of the maid, the guests scream at the sight of the hand nonetheless staring in disbelief and disgust from the hand to Sarah then vice versa.  
(Hostess [over the screams]) “What the hell is that!?”  
(Professor) “What the hell is that!?”  
(Psychic) “Uh, it would appear to be a hand!”  
\--------------------------------  
(Hostess) “Sarah, walks in with a parcel and inside is a hand! A hand!”  
\-------------------------------  
(Psychic) “Black nail varnish. Covered in these tattoos – really nice tattoos, not gonna lie. My personal favourite is this star sitting inside a pentagon on her wrist with these black roots traveling down her arm from her hand. I definitely might consider duplicating this tat for myself when we get back.”  
\-------------------------------  
(Doctor) “First Sarah walks in with a head, then she walks in with a hand…I mean, what’s next!? A heart!?”  
\-------------------------------  
(Musician) “OH! MY! GOD! IF THAT BITCH COMES WALKING WITH ANOTHER FREAKING BODY PART ON HER, I SWEAR TO BLOODY GOD I’M GONNA KNOCK HER HEAD IN WITH… SOMETHING!!!”  
\-------------------------------  
(Professor [closely examining the hand]) “Well, it definitely doesn’t belong to the guy we met in the dining room”  
(Psychic) “That hand could belong to Headless Nick, back there. You don’t know him. Could be one of those lady-handed guys who likes nail varnish for all you know”  
During the Psychic and Professor’s debate, the Musician snatches a piece of paper found on the base of the dome  
(Hostess) “What’s it say?”  
(Musician) “Her essence can speak to you through the spirit board…OH! [slams the paper on to the table] HECK NO!” [backs away]  
Most of the guests protest against using a spirit board, except for the Psychic who is visibly excited about the idea. The Chauffeur seems to have become the reader of the group as he picks up the note continues where the Musician left off.  
(Chauffeur) “Her essence can speak to you through the spirit board in the library”  
(Professor [looks around]) “Library…”  
(Chauffeur) “Giving you clues”  
(Hostess [looks around, over the Chauffeur]) “In here?”  
(Doctor) “Found it!” [gestures to a board carved with the alphabet by the window]  
(Chauffeur) “However! Guys! However, it requires great strength to speak across the grave and can only occur once an hour”  
(Heiress) “So it’s kind of like her phone’s at ten percent power or something”  
(Chauffeur) “Yeah, if you want to look at it like that”  
(Doctor [over the Chauffeur, holds up a piece of paper she found]) “There’s an incantation that comes with it”  
(Arthur) "May I make a suggestion? Someone should act as the voice and read the invocation”  
Everyone goes silent clearly not wanting to use the spirit board. Except for the Psychic whose hand almost immediately bolts right up.  
(Psychic [excitedly]) “DIBS!!!”  
\--------------------------------  
(Professor) "Obviously, everyone has watched the Ouija film series, because none of us didn’t want anything to do with a spirit board. Except for Poppy, who just turns into the giddy little puppy over her favourite toy. A little concerning, but at the same time, as a psychic, it wouldn’t be a surprise if a spirit board was actually one of her childhood toys”  
\--------------------------------  
(Psychic) “We call you now to bless our meetings. Heavens promise our spirits thrive, so now for the meeting, let the dead come alive”  
(Doctor) “Oh, god…”  
(Musician [walks away]) “Nope! Nope! Nope, nope, nope, nope! Nope, nope! Nope!”  
Everyone starts backing from the Psychic and the spirit board preparing for the worst as they verbally complain about the spirit board.  
\--------------------------------  
(Chauffeur) “I’m more concerned about Poppy, at this point. Is the spirit of the hand gonna jump into her body and make her try to stab herself!?”  
\---------------------------------  
(Psychic [makes circular motions with her hand over the board]) “Greeting spirits…speak to us…”  
Silence lingers over the library as the guests nervously wait for results from the Psychic.  
(Professor) “Ok, for real, this time, I think we should get a paper and pen. I feel like someone should be writing this stuff down when it comes up…”  
(Psychic [suddenly backs off]) “Whoa!”  
(Heiress) “Oh my god! What!?”  
(Hostess [over the Heiress]) “What, what, what, what, what?”  
(Chauffeur) “Poppy?”  
(Psychic) “It’s ok, it’s ok. It’s just glowing. It’s just glowing”  
(Photographer) “Good glowing or bad glowing?”  
(Psychic) “Just glowing. Hold up…B...”  
A number of guests repeat the letter in confusion.  
(Psychic) “Just, shush...O…O…K  
(Professor) “Book?”  
(Photographer and Heiress) “Book!”  
(Ex-war-vet) “Book”  
(Psychic [over the Ex-war-vet]) “Wait, there’s more…S…Books. It’s saying books”  
(Hostess) “Books?”  
(Ex-war-vet) “Wait, that’s it?”  
(Psychic) “There’s something in the books”  
(Professor) “Or something in one of the books”  
\-----------------------------  
(Chauffeur) “So, the board gives us a clue and unsurprisingly, it’s not exactly a clear clue, like it just spells out books to Poppy and I’m looking around and we’re in library and the walls are practically made of books! So, I’m thinking…yeah this is gonna take a while”  
\-----------------------------  
The guests search the library. Some analyse the titles in the books spines before moving on. Some are more practical and pulls out a handful of books place them on the table and start scanning the covers of the books before skimming through the pages of the books. So far no-one is having that much success.  
\------------------------------  
(Heiress) “I’m just picturing the possible alternatives to this room. It could have been like the perfect room for a game room. You got the snooker table, you got the casino royale table, and then you got this cute little book shelf in the corner and it would have the books we need and we’d be out of the house by now. But no…no… no, this room had to be a library”  
\-------------------------------  
(Professor) “Patrick, Emma, Marti and Gloria, when you guys were in here last did you see anything convenient that might help us right here and now or anything could be important”  
(Photographer [still searching]) “No…no…”  
(Chauffeur) “Marti found a peacock feather”  
(Doctor [a bit confused]) “…Uumm… [lightly chuckles]”  
(Hostess [still searching]) “We’re looking for books”  
(Chauffeur [over the Hostess]) “I’m just saying it was a random thing to find in a library, that’s all”  
(Psychic [still searching, sarcastically]) “Yeah, maybe we need to find a notebook that contains the ghost of a novelist that will only respond to that peacock feather pen thing that used to belong to him”  
(Reverend) “God, I hope not”  
(Musician [still searching]) “Jesus. Can somebody FIND something already!?”  
(Heiress) “Poppy, maybe you can ask the board to be a bit more specific?”  
(Chauffeur) “Wait, wait, wait! Wait a minute, wait a minute…you guys [holds up a thin blue book] there’s a book with a star on it”  
(Ex-war-vet) “Ok, so?”  
(Professor) “Wait, is it in a pentagon? [points at the hand] Like the one on the arm?”  
(Chauffeur) “Yeah”  
(Professor [holds up a thick red book]) “Yeah, I just found one too”  
(Hostess [holds up a thin brown book]) “Same here. I found one like that too”  
(Psychic [in realization]) “Oooohhhh, ok, ok”  
(Photographer [over the Psychic]) “What are the titles?”  
(Hostess [scans the book spine]) “Mine says three and it’s got an arrow” [points to the left]  
\-------------------------------  
(Ex-war-vet) “One by one, we find these books, that have a number and an arrow on them and the only thing they have in common is that they have the same star symbol that’s on that woman’s wrist”  
\--------------------------------  
The guests place the first three books, that have already been found on the table where the hand has been placed for further analysation.  
(Professor) “Ok, well, these arrows have to mean something, there’s two pointing to the left and then one’s pointing to the right”  
(Hostess) “Found another one!” [walks over with a thin green book]  
(Professor) “Which…“  
(Hostess) “Another right arrow”  
(Ex-war-vet) “Ok, new game strategy people! Anyone who finds a book with that symbol [points at the hand] place it on this table”  
(Doctor) “Wait, what about Neal’s symbol”  
(Professor) “Keep an eye for that as well, just in case”  
\-----------------------------------  
(Musician) “If I were to nominate someone to be the leader, I’d probably say Sammy. Robert just being loud and bossy, trying to be the Alpha dog. Sam, on the other hand, he’s been the most analytical guy from the start. Always thinking things through. I remember him being the most active on the first clue in the beginning of the night. I mean it’s no wonder he’s the flipping professor, he’s clearly got the brains”  
\-----------------------------------  
The Doctor wonders over to a cabinet in the corner, opens it up to discover a chest inside with the symbol from the Society Against Evil embedded on top  
(Doctor) “Guys, I found Neal’s symbol”  
(Psychic) “Really?”  
(Musician [over the Psychic]) “Where?”  
Most of the guests start to gather around the cabinet where the Musician  
(Professor) “On a book?”  
(Doctor) “No, on a chest actually. It looks like it’s got a padlock on it”  
(Chauffeur) “Again!?”  
(Heiress [over the Chauffeur]) “We gotta find another key!?”  
(Psychic) “No, it looks like we need a code”  
(Professor) “Wait a minute, there’s four numbers to the lock and we’ve found four books. Maybe the arrows are the directions we need…”  
(Ex-war-vet) “Five [holds up a brown book] I just found another one”  
(Professor) “Ok, never mind”  
(Psychic [wonders back to the hand]) “Or, maybe they have something to do with dial things here? [points at the black knobs on the base] “I mean, those padlock things look like they go up and down, these things are more likely to go left and right”  
(Reverend) “That’s a good point”  
(Hostess) “How many are there”  
(Psychic) “Uh, hang on…[under her breath] one, two, three, four, five six, seven…”  
(Ex-war-vet [counting ahead of the Psychic]) “Eight”  
(Psychic) “Eight, we’ve got eight. So, we need three more of these books”  
(Arthur) “If I may. There are a number of books located elsewhere on this floor, perhaps we could locate these remaining books, there?”  
(Musician) “Oh, now you decide to bring that up!?”  
(Professor) “Ok, I know, we agreed we shouldn’t split up, but I feel like five of us should look in the other rooms, the rest remain here and have another sweep on the library, just in case”  
(Reverend) “I’m fine with that”  
(Psychic [already walking out of the library]) “It’s getting little too crowded in here, anyway”  
The Psychic, Professor, Chauffeur, Photographer and Reverend travel through the foyer into the dining room, which has somehow been swiftly renovated into a living room area.  
\----------------------------------  
(Reverend) “I go over to the other rooms and I’m hoping to find at least one book and hopefully to show that I’m contributing to the task at hand and I won’t get put in into death challenge and I DO NOT want to go into a death challenge. We walk into the dining room and four or five seconds in…”  
\-----------------------------------  
(Reverend) “Found one!” [holds up and dark blue book]  
(Psychic) “Wooo!!!”  
(Professor) “Great job, Cocky!”  
(Photographer) “I want to find one!”  
(Chauffeur [checking the books, under the table lamp]) “Oh, guys, found one too…”  
The Chauffeur stands up too quickly, the book and the table’s underside collide with one another knocking the former out of the Chauffeur’s hand and crashing into the ground.  
(Psychic [sarcastically]) “That was graceful”  
(Photographer [picks up the book]) “Found one!” [power walks away]  
(Chauffeur) “What!? No! [chases after the Photographer] I found that one, that’s not yours!”  
(Professor [to the guests in the library]) “Guys, we found two more books! You got anything!?”  
(Hostess [from the library]) “No, not yet!”  
\------------------------------------  
(Hostess) “We’re searching high, we’re searching low. We’re looking in every possible shelf and cabinet. We have one final book and we can’t find it anywhere, it’s always the last ones that are impossible to find! We do eventually find it though, but guess who’s the one that found it!”  
\-------------------------------------  
(Heiress) “Ok, this book is REALLY hidden…”  
(Psychic) “Found it!”  
\------------------------------------  
(Psychic) “We’re looking for the last book, I walk over to one of those…I don’t know what you call them, those rugby player tall fancy clocks you see in old people’s houses sometimes. I’m taking a second look at it and I’m like… [leans in squinting] are there shelves in there?”  
\------------------------------------  
The Psychic is searching for a latch of some sort to open up the casing. She winds up pressing something on the head of the clock which causes the case to open up to her  
\------------------------------------  
(Psychic) “I manage to open up the door thing. And guess what I find inside? The final book! Boom!”  
\-----------------------------------  
(Heiress) “Ok, this book is REALLY hidden…”  
(Psychic) “Found it!”  
(Hostess) “What!?”  
(Heiress) “You’re joking! Where was it!?”  
(Psychic) “It was sitting in the clock, back there”  
Ex-war-vet) "You're lying!"  
(Psychic) “No, I’m being serious, it was in the clock!”  
\-------------------------------------  
(Hostess) “First, the painting in the study, then the math problem in the library now the book inside the clock. I mean is it she’s the one finding these things so easily. She’s not telling us something, I know it. If she’s right about those knob things, this is just gonna confirm it”  
\-------------------------------------  
(Psychic) “Down…right…three lefts”  
(Photographer) “Three lefts?”  
(Psychic) “Yeah, like left, left, left, for the next three dials”  
(Photographer) “Oh, ok [turns the three ‘left’ knobs] Ok, what next?”  
(Psychic) “Ok, right…up…and up again…”  
On the final knob light-bulbs on the base almost immediately switch on getting a triumphant cheer from the group. The victorious celebration is suddenly disrupted however, by the light bulbs in the rest of the house flickering with disturbing gravelly whispers filling the room  
“…three…”  
“…five…”  
(Doctor [petrified]) “…guys…”  
(Ex-war-vet [raises his hand at the Doctor]) “Sshh…”  
“…four…”  
“…seven…”  
“…three…”  
“…five…”  
“…four…”  
“…seven…”  
(Heiress [rushes over to the chest]) “Three, five, four, seven!  
(Musician and Ex-war-vet) “Three, five, four, seven”  
(Heiress [while entering the code, under her breath]) “Three…five… [padlock opens] ok. Got it!” [opens up the chest]  
(Psychic [walks over to the Heiress]) “Yes! Awesome!”  
(Hostess) “What’s in there?”  
(Heiress [looks inside]) “What the heck!?” [puts her hand]  
(Photographer and Professor) “What?”  
(Musician) “What?”  
(Heiress [pulls out a white bishop and black king] “There’s just a pile of chess pieces in here!”  
(Hostess) “WHAT!?”  
(Ex-war-vet) “You’ve got to be kidding me!”  
(Psychic [over the Ex-war-vet]) “Wait, that’s it?!” [pulls out a black knight]  
\----------------------------------  
(Musician) “We literally wasted fifteen minutes of some Easter book hunt just to get a handful of stupid chess pieces, like what the hell, ghost!?”  
\----------------------------------  
(Chauffeur) “Maybe there’s another Wormwood or something, near the chessboard?” [points at the chessboard sitting conveniently nearby]  
(Musician) “What is it with you and Wormwood, what the hell does that even mean!?”  
(Psychic [taking another look inside]) “OH!! Wait a minute! [reaches inside] Wait a minute! Hello! [pulls out a piece of paper and shows it off to the group] Hello!”  
(Chauffeur) “Ok, no need to be dramatic”  
(Psychic) “Oh, look who’s talking”  
(Ex-war-vet) “Never mind that!”  
(Doctor [over the Ex-war-vet]) “What does the note say? What does the note say?”  
(Psychic [sharing the note with the Professor]) “Thirty men and only two women, but they hold the most power. Dressed, in black and white they could fight for hours…”  
(Heiress) “Oh, god, please tell me, we’re not gonna play chess to get out of here!?”  
(Reverend [raises his hand]) “I used to play chess, I’ll do it”  
(Professor [over the Reverend]) “No, from what this says, it looks like we need to put the chess pieces in a specific position”  
\-----------------------------------  
(Reverend) “Can’t say, I remember the last time I played chess. But, you know, I’ll do anything to get out of the house, so I’m hoping this like a ‘like riding a bicycle’ situation”  
\------------------------------------  
The Reverend and the Hostess position themselves at the chess table, the Reverend on the white side and Hostess on the black side while everyone else surrounds the pair watching them  
(Professor) “The ladies need to find a perfect pair, a handsome knight on their right with a flair”  
(Psychic) “Knights are the horses, I know that much about chess”  
(Reverend) “Yeah”  
The Reverend and the Hostess position their knight next to their queens  
(Professor) “Yet one of these ladies is in deep sorrow. Her white bearded husband will not have his home tomorrow, because a viscous bishop…”  
(Reverend) “That’s that one. [Point the bishop out for the Hostess] The one that looks like it’s had an axe to the head”  
(Hostess) “Thank you Thomas” [takes the bishop]  
\-------------------------------------  
(Heiress) “First we got to do math, then we got to use a spirit board, then we need to find books, and now we got to play chess? I’m starting to understand why this spirit is evil. Anyone with all four of those hobbies in the same bag clearly doesn’t have any friends”  
\--------------------------------  
(Reverend) “…a beautiful, medieval castle, so basically, you need to take my rook”  
(Hostess [takes the white rook]) “Ok”  
(Reverend) “And then, put your bishop, where my rook was”  
(Hostess) “Alright”  
The Hostess, places the black bishop in the corner where the white rook was and all of a sudden, a tiny draw compartment pops open on the side of the table startling the guests  
(Photographer) OH! [stumbles into the Chauffeur] Sorry. That scared me”


	7. Elements to Death

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Air cools  
> Fire warms  
> Earth grows  
> And water feeds

Inside is yet another note. The Chauffeur takes the note and scans momentarily, he looks up nervously at the other guests and proceeds to read text aloud.  
(Chauffeur) “Today’s experiment was a success; the machine was able to consume the life force of two college students and produce an ungodly monster”  
(Heiress) “Oh my god…”  
(Chauffeur) “However the machine’s demand for power is endless. I’m using an ancient artefact…”  
(Ex-war-vet [abruptly]) “Artefact! Artefact!”  
(Professor) “Yeah”  
(Psychic) “Yeah we heard him”  
(Chauffeur) “Yeah. An ancient artefact with an origin I do not wish to know as a source, but it has come with a price, my mind can no longer distinguish between reality and nightmare. I have locked the key to the machine inside the green cabinet in the ballroom, but my scattered mind cannot recall where I left the combination on the first floor – of course he can’t”  
(Heiress) “Wait, this place has a ballroom?”  
(Chauffeur) “All the thoughts I can hold are the four elements of…triangles? I learnt as a boy, fire, water, air, and earth”  
(Musician) “Triangles?”  
\---------------------------------  
(Chauffeur) “When I hear elements, I’m suddenly hearing Katara go, ‘only the Avatar, master of all four elements can stop them’ but then the triangle bit? Like, wha…what?”  
\---------------------------------  
(Psychic) “Oh wait! I know what he’s talking about! [snatches the note of the Chauffeur] He means the alchemy symbols, does anyone have a pen”  
(Arthur [passes the Psychic a pencil]) “I’d like this back please  
(Heiress [over Arthur]) “Alchemy symbols?”  
(Psychic [at Arthur]) Thank you. [at the Heiress] Yeah, in alchemy the symbols of the four elements are usually triangles, like for earth you got an upside-down triangle with a line through it.”  
(Professor) “Kinda like these?” [pulls out a leaflet from the draw with the four symbols]  
(Psychic) “Oh, no! Exactly like those! Never mind [passes the pencil back to Arthur]  
(Hostess) “And you just happen to know that from the top of your head?”  
(Psychic) “I’m a psychic, I’ve got to know, even most random things about the elements, since it’s one of the main things associated with the zodiacs.”  
\-------------------------------  
(Reverend) “So, we take a moment to memorize the symbols, and we split up into three groups and start searching around the house for these elements”  
\-------------------------------  
The Hostess, Heiress and Photographer travel to the study in the back of the house. The Reverend, Chauffeur and Professor remain in the foyer to search for any elements. The remaining four guests travel over to the living room for their investigation  
(Professor) “Ok, I’m seeing a lot of flower vases in here. Those could be good components, for the element water. Anything else?”  
(Reverend [knocks on wood cupboard]) “Wood. Maybe for earth?”  
(Chauffeur) “Or fire. Wood’s very burnable. Just saying”  
(Ex-war-vet) “Guys, I just found a green cabinet! Green cabinet’s in here!”  
(Doctor) “Wait, so this is supposed to be a ballroom?”  
(Musician) “If this supposed to be the ballroom, then Anita, you need to consider an expanded renovation for this room”  
(Psychic) “Anita’s not even here”  
Over in the study  
(Hostess) “Ok, so what screams four elements in here?”  
Over in the ballroom  
(Psychic) “I don’t know why but when I look at this thing, [points at a gramophone] I think air, is that just me?”  
(Doctor) “Is there a symbol on there?”  
(Musician [over the Doctor]) “Definitely just you”  
\------------------------------------------  
(Professor) “We actually find an element quite easily. We’re in the foyer and almost immediately find this, um…box thing with Neal’s symbol and a triangle”  
\------------------------------------------  
(Professor [examining the box]) “So we got the symbol and an element triangle…uh…”  
(Chauffeur) “What did that triangle mean again?”  
(Reverend) “Fire? Wooden box?”  
(Professor [at the Psychic]) “Poppy, what’s the element of a lineless triangle again?”  
(Psychic [from the ballroom]) “Is it pointing upwards or downwards?”  
(Professor) “Downwards”  
(Psychic [from the ballroom]) “Water”  
(Professor) “Water [turns back to the box] Thank you”  
\---------------------------------------------  
(Professor) “On one side is this jar-like vase filled with daffodils and on the other side, there’s just little hole into the box”  
\--------------------------------------------  
(Reverend) “Are we supposed to put something in there?”  
The Chauffeur has pulled the box to the edge of the table and his face is now on the box so his eye can peek into the hole of the box  
(Professor) “Well, this is water, maybe we’re supposed to put water in it?”  
Back in the ballroom the Psychic has taken a lamp upside-down so she can see the underside of the lampshade which leaves the members of her search to stare at her in disbelief  
(Musician) “What the hell are you doing!? That’s not an element”  
(Psychic) “Yes it is…in a way”  
(Musician [snatches the lamp and places it back on the table]) “Oh yeah, what kind of way?”  
(Psychic) “I don’t know, light bulbs produce heat, heat is fire”  
(Ex-war-vet) “We’re looking the actual element of fire! Not something related to fire!”  
(Psychic) “I’m sorry, there’s nothing in the fireplace and I don’t see any candles lying around, so what else could fire be!?”  
\--------------------------------  
(Doctor) “We’re searching everywhere, for this alchemy symbol of the four elements. There’s this um…I don’t know even know what the heck that thing is, it’s like a mini bronze satellite sitting next to the window, no-one has checked for anything on that yet. I look on the back of it, and I found one!”  
\------------------------------  
(Doctor) “Guys, I found the symbol for fire!”  
(Ex-war-vet) “What!? No!” [walks over]  
(Doctor) “It’s on the back of this satellite thing  
(Ex-war-vet) “You sure?”  
(Musician) “How the heck has that have anything to do with fire”  
The Ex-war-vet has shoved the Doctor out of the way to get a second point of view on the symbol that she has found  
(Psychic) “This thing looks more like an alien artefact than a 1920s artefact”  
(Ex-war-vet [stands up straight and waves for the attention of Sarah] “Hey, Sarah! Sarah? Hey. [points at the satellite] What’s this copper cylinder thing supposed to be?”  
(Sarah) “A heater”  
(Ex-war-vet) “A heater?”  
(Musician) “Oh! Heat! Heat is fire!”  
(Psychic [in a dramatic thinking pose]) “Oh, wait. But weren’t we supposed to looking for the actual element of fire?” [makes a smug grin]  
(Ex-war-vet [sarcastic chuckle]) “Shut up”  
Over in the study the Heiress has gone to look at the fan turned on, on the desk  
(Heiress) “Oh my god! You guys, we are so stupid! There’s a symbol for air sitting right on top of this fan!”  
(Photographer) “Oh!”  
(Hostess [to herself]) “You son of a bitch!”  
\---------------------------------------  
(Hostess) “We find the symbol of air, it’s on a fan. And immediately I feel like, when you’re playing those hidden object games and you’re on the last and you can’t find it and then you press the hint button and it points at the most obvious place possible and immediately, you’re like [slaps her forehead] OH!!”  
\---------------------------------------  
Over in the foyer, the Professor has taken one of the flower vases and starts pouring the water into the hole of the box, but there doesn’t seem to be any results  
(Chauffeur [unsure]) “Are you sure, we’re doing this right? Nothing seems to be happening”  
\--------------------------------------  
(Reverend) “Sam is pouring all this water into the box, because our first intuition was to give the item it’s element which is water, but nothing is happening, it just feels like we’re feeding a bottomless pit”  
\---------------------------------  
(Chauffeur) “Wait, wait, wait [peeks inside the hole] Nothing”  
(Professor) “Oh, still!?”  
(Reverend) “We are clearly doing something wrong here!”  
Over in the study and the ballroom the two groups are analysing the items they but can’t seem to find are searching for a number but no-one can seem to find a number. The Hostess and the Ex-war-vet even gout of the way to take the items above their heads to see if there’s anything on the underside, but they still find nothing.  
(Heiress) “Wait, what about the uh… [makes a circular motion with her finger] blade things. We haven’t checked the blades yet”  
(Hostess) “Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah! Good thinking [goes back to the fan] Where’s the switch?”  
Over in the ballroom  
(Psychic) “Maybe we need to turn it on or something. I mean it’s not exactly radiating our element right now”  
(Musician) “What like, if we turn it on, we’ll get enough heat to burn something through the metal?”  
(Psychic) “Maybe, I don’t know”  
(Doctor) “I mean it’s worth a try”  
(Ex-war-vet [over the Doctor]) “I’m not hearing any better ideas [searches around the column] Where’s the plug socket?”  
Over in the study  
(Heiress [into the fan]) “Exterminate!” [giggles]  
(Hostess [pushes the Heiress out of the way but still giggling with her]) “What are you doing!? Now’s not the time!”  
The Photographer standing behind them can’t help but giggle with the two  
Meanwhile over in the ballroom, the Doctor had found the plug socket and proceeds to plug the heater in while the others wait on their feet for a result on the copper device.  
(Musician) “You guys, see anything?”  
(Ex-war-vet) “No…”  
However, while they’re searching, the Doctor spots a number five flash up above the plug  
(Doctor) “Oh, shoot! [stands up pointing at the plug socket] Guys, that just lit up! It lit up five!”  
Over in the study, the fan’s blades finally stopped spinning allowing the trio to spot a bronze number eight flash in front of them.  
(Hostess) “Eight”  
(Photographer) “Eight”  
(Heiress [over the Photographer]) “Eight [at the other guests outside the study] EIGHT! [rushes out] We found it, we found it!  
(Hostess [runs after the Heiress over the Heiress] “We got it! Guys we got one! We got eight!”  
Over in the ballroom  
(Musician [at the returning trio]) “We got five!”  
(Ex-war-vet [over the Musician at the returning trio]) WE have five! We have five! Five for fire!”  
(Hostess) “Eight for air”  
(Ex-war-vet) “Ok”  
Over in the foyer the Professor is still pouring water  
(Chauffeur [over the Hostess and Ex-war-vet, chuckling]) “Where is this going!?”  
(Psychic [walking into the foyer]) “Are you guys still doing that?”  
\---------------------------------  
(Reverend) “Why are we still pouring!? This is clearly the wrong method!”  
\---------------------------------  
(Professor [putting down the vase]) “You know what, I bet, there’s some kind of mechanism in there that’s giving the water to the plants on this side. This is like a plant feeding mechanism or something”  
(Reverend) “Of course it is!”  
(Chauffeur [over the Reverend]) “Oh, now you’re just figuring that out!”  
\--------------------------------  
(Chauffeur) “That’s actually a pretty advanced idea for the 1920s”  
\--------------------------------  
(Reverend) “So…this thing clearly already has water…are we supposed to take the water out?”  
(Professor) “Like, maybe there’s something in the water?”  
(Reverend) “Yeah”  
(Chauffeur) “I’ve been looking in there, like four times already, it’s just pitch black down there”  
\--------------------------------  
(Psychic) “So we just got, fire and air. The boys are still trying to figure out water. So the final element we need to look for is earth and that’s proving to be a bit more of challenge, than the others mainly because ninety-nine percent of this house has something to do with earth”  
\--------------------------------  
(Hostess) “The last one is always the hardest. I’m just gonna keep on saying that”  
\--------------------------------  
(Musician) “Somehow, someone thought it was a good idea to go outside to search for the final element somewhere in the garden, where everything’s the darkest the coldest, the creepiest. How about NO THANK YOU!!!”  
\--------------------------------  
The ballroom group has left the mansion to search the garden grounds, except for the Ex-war-vet who has stayed in the house to aid the foyer group.  
(Musician) “Oh, god, I don’t like it out here! I don’t like it out here!”  
(Doctor) “What’s this? A cellar?” [examines a large window in the door]  
(Psychic) “Cellars are underground in the earth” [walking over]  
(Musician [over the Psychic]) “Oh! Hell no! [walks away] I’m not going anywhere near any cellars!”  
The Psychic and the Doctor examine the windows for about two seconds before the Doctor reconsiders  
(Doctor) Nope, too creepy [walks away] I’m sorry, can’t do it…can’t do it”  
Back in the foyer, the Professor has taken one of the daffodils starts searching for something in the hole with the stem of the flower  
(Ex-war-vet) “How the hell’s that gonna help?”  
(Chauffeur [ignoring the Ex-war-vet]) “Find anything?”  
(Professor) “Hang on…”  
Back outside in the garden  
(Psychic [searching]) “Has anyone seen any flower pots sitting around?”  
(Doctor [searching]) “No…”  
(Musician) “Why a flower pot”  
(Doctor) “Um…earth?”  
(Psychic [searching]) “No, I’m just thinking, we found numbers on items that create fire and air, and the boys found an item that contains water, so maybe the next number to the lock will be on an object designed to contain earth like a flower pot”  
(Musician) “Maybe…”  
(Doctor [pointing at a flower bed) “What about a flower bed? That’s kind of a containment of earth”  
(Musician) “I’ve already looked there. There’s nothing”  
(Psychic [crouches down]) “…have you looked IN the earth of the flower bed?”  
(Doctor [crouches down to the Psychic’s level]) “You think, we might have to dig?”  
(Psychic) “Maybe”  
(Musician) “No!! You guys! I just had my nails done!”  
But the Psychic and Doctor already starts digging halfway through the Musician’s protest  
Back in the foyer, the Ex-war-vet has just about lost his patience. He steals the box from the Foyer trio, places it on the ground and smashes his army boot into the wood. The foyer floor is now a giant mess broken wood scattered everywhere and water has just about flooded the marble surface.  
(Heiress [from the ballroom]) “Oh, my god! What was that!?”  
(Professor [annoyed]) “Oh, that was smart!”  
However, the Reverend is the only one who spots a small ball fly out from the shattering and rolls over in one the corners of the foyer  
(Reverend) “Oh, wait a minute”  
The reverend rushes over to the corner moves a column that had one of the water vases on and picks up the ball.  
(Chauffeur) “Oohh, what’s that?”  
(Reverend [examining the ball]) “It’s got a number…three. THREE!”  
(Professor and the Chauffeur) “Three!”  
(Ex-war-vet) “Three! We got the third one!”  
Back by the flower bed outside the trio are still digging around the edges of the flower bed, the Doctor on the left side, the Psychic on the right and Musician is reluctantly searching the middle.  
(Musician [digging]) “YOU TWO OWE ME FIVE TRIPS TO A NAIL SALON!”  
(Psychic [half-heartedly, still digging) “Yeah, yeah, yeah”  
(Musician) “TEN IF I HAVE TO DIG ANYMORE TONIGHT”  
(Psychic [still digging]) “I will gladly give you my aunt’s fifty percent off receipt thing to her favourite spa”  
While the Psychic is attempting to cope with the Musician’s whining, the Doctor stumbles across something in the soil. She wipes the remains of dirt off revealing a box with two handprints on it.  
(Doctor) “Oh my god! [at the Psychic and Musician waving them over] Guys, I found a box!”  
By the time the two make it over to the Doctor, she has already pulled it out of the soil and is ready to open it up  
(Musician) “Do you think, this is it?”  
The Doctor answers her question by opening it up revealing nothing but a golden number etched into the base of the box.  
(Musician and Doctor) “Two”  
(Psychic) “Two [straightens up] Alright we got two! We got two!” [walks back to the house]  
(Doctor [quickly following the Psychic) “Guys, we found it!”  
Back in the ballroom  
(Professor) “Ok, so we got three…”  
(Hostess) “We got five and eight from fire and air…”  
(Doctor [from outside]) “Guys!”  
(Hostess [at the foyer]) “Marti?” [walks over to the foyer]  
(Psychic [from outside]) “Guys we got the last one!”  
(Hostess) “You guys have it?”  
(Psychic [from outside]) “Yes!”  
(Photographer [jumping up and down in glee]) “YES!! YES!! WE GOT ALL FOUR!!”  
(Chauffeur [over the Photographer]) “Poppy! [runs over to the foyer] Poppy, watch your step!”  
But the Chauffeur’s warning comes too late as the Psychic rushes in slipping on the water, still one the floor, but she manages to hold her balance.  
(Psychic) “Jesus Christ!”  
(Musician) “WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED HERE!?”  
(Hostess [over the Psychic and Musician]) “What did you get!?”  
(Doctor [over the Psychic and Musician]) “Two! We got two!”  
(Hostess) “Two. Okay [returns to the ballroom] we got two, three five and eight!”  
(Doctor) “Two is earth”  
(Professor) “Two, three, five, eight”  
The guests soon enough, crowd around the cabinet as the Professor, dials in the combination. Within seconds the lock is released and the guests respond vast victorious cheering an applaud  
(Heiress [over the cheering]) “We did it!”  
(Reverend) “Good job, guys!”  
(Musician [over the Reverend]) “Ok, open it, open it, open it!”  
The Professor obeys the Musicians commands and the doors swing open revealing a bronze cog on the lower shelf and another note on the upper shelf, the latter of which, the Professor hesitantly takes from the cabinet first.  
(Hostess) “What does it say?”  
(Ex-war-vet) “Read it out loud!”  
(Professor) “The ungodly machine is in the basement…oh, god, of course it is”  
Immediately protests against going in the basement rise among the guests  
\-----------------------------  
(Psychic) “Of course, there’s something ungodly in the cellar. I mean where else are you gonna put it!?”  
\-----------------------------  
(Professor [once the complaints have died down]) “The cog key…”  
(Hostess [points at the cog still in the cabinet]) “That’s that?”  
(Professor) “Yeah. Will ignite its wicked engine. But understand, once the machine has started it can only stopped…”  
The Professor stops, suddenly horrified by the text on the paper looking up to other guests unsure whether to continue  
(Psychic and Doctor [in concern]) “What?  
(Reverend) “What?”  
(Chauffeur [in concern]) “Sam”  
(Professor [shakily]) “…it can only be stopped by the loss of an innocent life”  
The guests swiftly share the horror blessed upon the Professor from the text. The Musician steps away from the crowd with her mouth clasped upon her mouth as she fights back her tears. The Reverend too steps away as well, making a holy cross gesture over his chest.  
(Professor [shakily]) “Two guests must be selected by the vote of the group…”  
(Heiress [almost immediately]) “Gloria!”  
(Hostess and Photographer) “WHAT!?”  
(Doctor [sternly]) "Emma!"  
The Chauffeur notices how painful it is for the Professor to read his text so he walks over and takes it from him to reads the rest to the guests for him  
(Chauffeur) “Two guests must be selected by the vote of the group to be locked in the machine”  
(Psychic [her head falls back]) “Oh…gods…”  
(Chauffeur [over the Psychic]) “Then those two must choose a partner, who will aid them in defeating the machine”  
(Musician) “HOW THE BLOODY HELL DO YOU EVEN DEFEAT A FREAKING MACHINE!”  
(Heiress) “So, Gloria’s definitely one of them, because she hasn’t been helpful and she had something to do with Neal’s death”  
(Photographer) “NO I WASN’T! NO, I WASN’T!”  
(Hostess) “Will everyone leave Gloria alone for two minutes!”  
(Psychic [over the Hostess]) “No, no, no, no, no. I personally don’t think that’s such idea”  
(Heiress) “What, why!? You’re the one who suggested it to be her first!”  
(Psychic) “Yeah, and I still am suspicious of her, I’m not gonna deny that, but the note said the machine would be stopped by an innocent life, and if it turns out she did have something to do with Neal’s death”  
(Photographer) “I’m not!”  
(Psychic [over the Photographer]) “And we put her into the machine then the machine won’t shut down and we won’t get the artifact”  
(Reverend) “That’s a good point”  
(Heiress) “Personally…personally, I think you’re reading too much into this”  
(Arthur) “I may have a method for voting”  
(Musician) “MAY!?”  
(Arthur [over the Musician]) “Please, have a seat.”  
The guests reluctantly obey the butler’s instructions and sit down, while Arthur rolls in a trolley table with paper, a hat and a pen on it before he continues his proposal for voting  
(Arthur) “Here is how the final voting will work. Each one of you will write down the name of the person you want to attempt the final task [picks up the hat] and put it in this hat. I will then draw two names must face death”  
\-------------------------------  
(Heiress) “I mean, it’s not exactly the most original voting method in the world, but I don’t hear anyone coming up with any better ones, so I’ll take it”  
\-------------------------------  
(Arthur) “Please, discuss this amongst yourselves”  
(Hostess [nervously]) “Ok…”  
(Professor [stands up]) “Cocky, Peaks [points at the foyer] a word?”  
(Chauffeur) “Yeah”  
The Professor, Chauffeur and Reverend exit the room to talk more privately while the rest of the guests are left to their own devices.  
\---------------------------------  
(Reverend) “Everyone goes off into their own mini groups discussing amongst themselves. Who’s been contributing, who’s not been contributing, who might be like a…a detriment to the group. It’s not the most enjoyable conversation, but it has to be done, sadly”  
\---------------------------------  
(Chauffeur [whispering]) “I want to vote in Anita, personally. Like, I don’t trust her right now, I think she has something to do with Neal’s death. Plus, I don’t remember what she’s done to help”  
(Reverend [whispering]) “Honestly…”  
(Professor [whispering]) “She found two of the books”  
(Reverend [whispering]) “Honestly, I feel like the only female that’s been pulling her weight, is your sister”  
(Professor [nods]) “Hhmm”  
(Chauffeur [whispering]) “Yeah, yeah”  
In the ballroom, the guests have spread out throughout the room. The Hostess and the Ex-war-vet are chatting over by the window, the Heiress has taken the Psychic to the other end of the room by the fireplace to chat, while the remaining guests remain sat in their seats  
(Hostess [whispering]) “Poppy, has been acting very strange”  
(Ex-war-vet [whispering]) “Yeah, well she’s a psychic”  
(Hostess [whispering]) “Yeah, I know, but I feel like she’s been doing things, finding things too easily”  
\------------------------------  
(Doctor) “I’m with Gloria and Theadora. Robert and Anita aren’t far away from us, and I over hear Anita. She wants to put Poppy, into the godly machine, because she doesn’t trust her, because she’s good at finding things…I mean, like…what!?”  
\-------------------------------  
Over by the fireplace  
(Heiress [whispering]) “So…no Gloria”  
(Psychic [whispering]) “At least not for this vote, anyway”  
(Heiress [whispering]) “Ok, that’s fine. But, if we consider your innocent theory, then the best candidate I can think of is Tom, I mean, what’s more innocent than a follower of god himself”  
(Psychic [uncomfortable with that idea]) “Yeah…but then if…what’s his face, the butler pulls out his name, Patrick is gonna be pissed”  
Back in the library  
(Professor [whispering]) “I personally feel like Robert, is gonna be the biggest detriment to the group. I mean, look at what he’s done to the foyer, I kept on telling him, I was close to getting that ball, but he just straight up ignored me and smashed the thing. We can’t have that kind of recklessness if we’re gonna continue through the night. What if he does that again and he winds up blowing someone’s leg off?”  
(Chauffeur [whispering]) “Yeah, not to mention what he said earlier tonight was really uncalled for”  
(Professor [whispering]) “Yeah”  
Back in the ballroom by the fireplace  
(Heiress [whispering]) “Ok, so not Gloria because she might not be innocent, Tom because of your brother”  
(Psychic [whispering]) “Yeah”  
(Heiress [whispering]) “So, who else could we vote for? Marti? She hasn’t really done much, but then at the same time Anita will be pissed as well, if she found out someone put her in there”  
(Psychic [whispering]) “And she did pull her weight in the last task”  
(Heiress [whispering]) “Really?”  
(Psychic [whispering]) “Yeah, she was the one who found fire and earth”  
(Heiress [whispering]) “Oh, ok. So, who else could we possibly vote in to battle the machine?”  
The Psychic takes a moment to consider before eyeing the Musician still sitting in her seat, watching the Doctor, comfort the Photographer, who has broken down, sobbing.  
(Psychic [whispering]) “Theadora, maybe… I personally don’t remember her doing all that much”  
Back over at the couch Doctor has progressed into a deep hug with the sobbing Photographer  
(Photographer [sobbing]) “They’re gonna put me in, I know it. I know, I haven’t done anything. I know they still think I killed Neal”  
(Doctor) “No, no. I don’t think you killed him”  
(Musician) “Girl don’t forget, you get to choose a partner to save you from the machine”  
(Doctor) “Exactly, so if your name does get drawn, you just got to pick the best of the best, and you’ll be fine”  
(Musician) “Like Sam”  
(Doctor) “Yes! Definitely Sam! And once you get back, you’ll have another chance to prove yourself”  
(Musician) “So don’t mess up”  
(Arthur) “Ladies and gentlemen, it’s time”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's a fun task for readers at home comment below to say who you think should go into the ungodly machine and who should be their partner


	8. The Ungodly Machine

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A compass with only north and south  
> Leads to enter the arctic sea's mouth  
> But a rainbow known to take a gazer's breath  
> Is what makes the black rise prompting the second death

As soon as the guests return to their seats, one by one, they go up to Arthur and write their wanted guest’s name. By the third or fourth guest, the Doctor shuffles over to the end of the sofa, where the Psychic is sitting.  
(Doctor) “Hey”  
(Psychic) “Hey”  
The Doctor ushers the Psychic to lean in closer to her, and while the Psychic is confused about it at first, she complies.  
(Doctor [whispering]) “I just wanted to give you the heads up; Anita’s voting for you”  
(Psychic [in shocked whisper]) “What!? Why!?”  
(Doctor [whispering]) “She…she finds the fact that you’re good at finding things, suspicious”  
(Psychic [in a confused whisper]) “Well, that doesn’t make any sense”  
(Doctor [speedily whispering]) “I know, I know. I just felt like I should let you know, Anita has some beef with you, but I don’t, which is why I’m telling you now. You need to watch your back. That’s all I’m trying to say, watch your back”  
(Psychic [whispering]) “I will. Thank you”  
(Doctor [whispering]) “Ok”  
(Arthur) “Marti”  
(Doctor) “Yeah [stands up] coming”  
The Doctor goes up to write down her vote. After her, the Hostess comes up to write his vote, followed by the Photographer  
(Photographer [under her breath]) “No hard feelings”  
\----------------------------------  
(Photographer) “It’s, um…no secret that…there’s a high chance, people are gonna put me in and…I want to just…go ahead and accept that…but…at the same time, I do not want to go into this challenge…I’m…so scared”  
\-----------------------------------  
The final two to write their vote, are the Chauffeur and the Musician. Arthur then takes the hat and shakes it about allowing the ten votes to dance around with the hat’s movement. He sets it back down and takes a piece of paper from the hat.  
(Photographer [her face buried in the Doctor’s shoulder]) “It’s gonna be me”  
(Arthur) “Emma”  
A number of gasps are expelled from some of the guests’ lungs, mainly the girls  
(Photographer [looking up at the Heiress]) “WHAT!?”  
(Hostess and Musician) “WHAT!?”  
(Heiress) “Oh my god!”  
The Hostess frantically looks around looking for the culprit in the group but everyone is proven to have a well-made poker face.  
Arthur repeats the previous action with the hat before taking out the next name  
(Arthur) “Thomas”  
(Psychic, Chauffeur and Heiress) “WHAT!?”  
(Professor) “Oh, god!”  
(Hostess [over the Professor]) “No way!”  
(Doctor) “How…who voted for…what!”  
(Chauffeur) “Who the hell put Tom in there!?!”  
\-------------------------------  
(Professor) “Holy crap! I did not predict that duo combination at all!”  
\------------------------------  
(Photographer [places her hands together]) “Thank…you…god!”  
\---------------------------------  
(Reverend) “This is so nerve-wracking. Out of everyone in the group, my name gets taken, so now there’s a high chance I’m gonna die and I don’t want to die! Who would want to die!?”  
\---------------------------------  
(Arthur) “Emma, you get to pick your partner first”  
(Heiress) “So, the person I pick will shut down the machine for me”  
(Arthur) “Yes”  
(Chauffeur [points at the Psychic]) “You should pick Poppy”  
(Psychic) “WHAT!? [nervously chuckles] No, no [speedily with her hands up] no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, you don’t want me! You don’t want me!”  
(Heiress) “Well, actually I was thinking about choosing Sam [at the Professor] if that’s ok”  
(Professor) “That’s fine”  
(Reverend [raises his hand]) “Well then, I’ll pick Poppy, then”  
(Psychic) “NO!!!”  
\------------------------------------  
(Psychic) “I am RUBBISH with stuff that involves machinery or tech or whatever! Like I had to sacrifice three summer holidays to get better grades on stuff like computer coding, during my media course. That’s how bad I am!”  
\-----------------------------------  
(Psychic) “YOU GUYS, YOU’RE MAKING A HUGE MISTAKE! I AM A DISASTER WHEN IT COMES TO TECHNOLOGY! YOU DON’T WANT ME!!”  
(Chauffeur) “Exactly! This is about defeating a machine what better person for the job than who’s disaster prone to machines”  
The Psychic leans over groaning in defeat as she buries her face into her hands.  
\-----------------------------------  
(Chauffeur) “If Poppy can bust her laptop five or six times in three years, then I’m pretty sure she’ll be able to bust an ungodly machine”  
\-----------------------------------  
(Arthur) “If you would please come with me”  
The chosen quartet stand and reluctantly follow the butler out into the back of the estate leaving the remaining group in an uncomfortable silence.  
(Photographer) “So…now what?”  
(Hostess [sadly]) “We wait, I guess”  
(Chauffeur) “I personally would like to know which one of you picked Tom”  
Outside, Arthur leads them to a flight of stairs that travels downwards into the basement. Once downstairs Arthur leads them to a large metal door.  
(Professor) “Oh my god!”  
Inside is something that would rather be a large cabinet for a mad scientist. Wires, tools and machine parts scattered everywhere. In the centre stands two control panels both of which paired with human size glass cylinder chambers linked together by an unsettling large console  
(Psychic) “Are you serious right now!?”  
(Arthur) “Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the ungodly machine”  
As he extends his arms the light come on and the machine comes to life almost like it was at his command alone. The sight of the machine now that it’s bathed in stronger light suddenly looks more unsettling. Most of the quartet are now visibly horrified  
\----------------------------------  
(Heiress) “Me and Thomas are going to be locked inside that!?”  
\----------------------------------  
(Psychic) “Not to speak ill of Tom and Emma, but I am so glad, I’m not the one going to be trapped in there. Like this is last place I’d want to be when I die. Plus, I’m secretly claustrophobic, like, my chest feels really tight, just from looking at those glass cage things”  
\------------------------------------  
(Professor) “Does Anita know this is down here?”  
(Arthur [ignoring the Professor]) “Please read the directions”  
He gestures towards a notebook on a table behind them. The quartet huddle around it while the Professor reads the current text it is open to.  
(Professor) “To free the artefact from the bowels of the machine, it must be forced into malfunction. The machine is started by placing the cog key in the centre console. The two guests selected by vote must be locked separate glass chambers.”  
\--------------------------------------  
(Professor) “The notebook goes on to say that us, the partner, are on a race against the clock to cause the thing to break down which simultaneously allows their person immediate freedom from the chamber”  
\---------------------------------------  
(Professor) “However the chamber will fill with…a noxious gas…killing the guest…”  
The two malfunctionees glance nervously to the partners before reading ahead  
(Professor [shakily]) “If after thirty minutes the machine has not malfunctioned…both guests will be killed by the machine and…and a monster will emerge!?”  
(Heiress) “Oh…god”  
The Heiress paces a bit, looking utterly terrified, and the Reverend and Psychic are only just noticing a third glass chamber laying horizontally in between the control panels filled with dead black water.  
(Psychic) “You don’t think it means from that, [points at the horizontal chamber] do you?”  
(Heiress [shakily]) “I don’t want to think about it! I don’t want to think about it…”  
Reluctantly, the Reverend and Doctor, enter the free glass chambers while Arthur slots the cog key into the machine, before he returns to the Psychic and Professor waiting by the desk  
(Psychic [nervously]) “Arthur…is there really no other way?”  
Unlike the Professor, Arthur does pause to the Psychic’s question  
(Arthur [without eye contact with the Psychic]) “No. It begins”  
Without further ado, Arthur, activates a silver clock which immediately starts counting down from thirty. The Psychic and Professor retreat to their selected control panels and pull out the first blueprints from a file nearby and are immediately baffled by it’s contents  
(Psychic) “Oh my gods, are you kidding me!?”  
(Professor [nervously chuckles) “What? What is this…?”  
\---------------------------------  
(Psychic) “This thing is IMPOSSIBLE! Like, there’s something looks like some x-ray for a machine showing off stuff, I never knew existed in a machine and then there are these weird symbols and numbers littered all over the place, that don’t make any sense!”  
\---------------------------------  
The Psychic reads the blueprints in frustration and disbelief while the Reverend stand by watching his partner in concern clinging onto his rosary.  
\----------------------------------  
(Reverend) “I don’t know, whether Poppy is Catholic or atheist or agnostic or…wicca. But I’m just thinking to myself, preying to myself; God, I know your strength, and know your might and kindness, may that burn through this evil presence that shrouds this mansion, may that be given to Poppy Knightley so she can find the strength and confidence, she currently lacks”  
\----------------------------------  
(Psychic [to herself]) “Welp, it’s official, Thomas is gonna die and Patrick is going to kill me!”  
(Reverend) “Hey, [knocks on the glass in a form of support] come on, don’t give up on something, you haven’t even tried yet. You can do it”  
\---------------------------------  
(Professor) “We soon find this grid sheet with half the alphabet on one side and then numbers from one to thirteen on top. Inside the group are arrows that are either pointing up or down, and there are these levers on our control panels that can go in only those directions, up and down and immediately it just clicks for both for both of us and we are in go mode!”  
\----------------------------------  
(Psychic [examining the grid sheet]) “This is easier than I thought it was gonna be”  
She quickly returns to the control and pulls a lever upwards  
\----------------------------------  
(Professor) “The only problem is, we have no idea which order the codes are supposed to be. Like, I think I did my order backwards at one point so I had to do it all over again”  
\----------------------------------  
(Psychic) “When I tried the first time around, I thought we had the blueprints to turn on the machine not the one to cause malfunction, so I was thinking; ok, so whatever arrow these number/letter codes point at that means I have to pull the lever in the opposite direction. So, like N11 lead to an up arrow so I pulled the level down. But that didn’t work. Eventually I gave in and did what the grid said to go and…”  
\----------------------------------  
The Psychic pulls down the fourth lever and one of the lightbulbs springs to life  
(Arthur) “Poppy has solved the first step”  
(Psychic [pumps her fists]) “Heeeyyy!!!”  
(Reverend [claps his hands in support]) “Good job, Poppy!”  
\----------------------------------  
(Psychic) “I’m getting a little excited! I did it! I’m onto the next the next part! I look over…”  
\----------------------------------  
One of the lightbulbs on the Professor’s control panel turns on.  
(Heiress [sighs in relief]) “YES!! Oh my god!”  
\----------------------------------  
(Psychic) “Sam’s onto the next part too!”  
\---------------------------------  
(Professor) “We are neck and neck. Even though that was the first stage of the malfunction I need to step up my game and work harder and quicker. Not just because of Poppy, but also because the fact that trying to figure the code order wasted fifteen minutes of our time already!”  
\---------------------------------  
(Psychic) “So, our next step is to crash the cooling system. That one has way more straight forward instructions because it simply says remove bolt with an arrow pointing at the bottom of the cylinder tank thing which is strapped to the machine I’m working on.  
\---------------------------------  
(Professor [under his breath]) “Ok, so we need to unscrew this”  
The Professor and Psychic start removing any form of accessary off their limbs before rolling up their sleeves and dunks their hand into their water-filled tanks. The Professor reaches his bolt right away while the Psychic retracts her arm from the shock of the temperature of the water before resisting full withdraw from the tank and pushes herself to reach the bottom.  
(Psychic) “Oh my gods! This is FREEZING!”  
\---------------------------------  
(Professor) “I’m just unscrewing mine as quickly and hardly as I can, trying to ignore the freezing cold water”  
\---------------------------------  
The two are seen unscrewing their bolts. The Professor proving to be much more swifter than the Psychic  
\--------------------------------  
(Professor) “And for the most part, I managed to get mine out rather easily”  
\---------------------------------  
The Professor takes the bolt out the tank prompting a third lightbulb to come to life  
(Heiress) “YES! YES! YES! YOU GOT THIS, SAMMY! YOU GOT THIS!”  
\----------------------------------  
(Professor) “But Poppy on the other hand seems to be struggling a bit”  
\----------------------------------  
(Psychic [to herself while she’s unscrewing her bolt]) “Ugh, crap this thing’s screwed in tight!”  
(Professor [picking up the next sheet from the file]) “Are you sure, you’re screwing it the right way?”  
(Heiress) "What are you doing!? Don't help her!"  
\-----------------------------------  
(Professor) “Next thing I have to do is take the bolt and use it to open a panel to inside the machine”  
\-----------------------------------  
Once again, the Professor, manages to open the panel swiftly and easily  
(Professor [sighs sadly]) “Tom…I just want you to know. You’re a great friend, and I love you for that”  
(Reverend) “I love you too, man”  
(Professor) “I know…”  
(Reverend) “Let Patrick know the same thing, alright?”  
(Psychic [still unscrewing]) “Oi! Don’t give up on me just yet!”  
(Reverend) “I’m not! I’m not!”  
\-----------------------------------  
(Psychic) “My hand is getting so numb at this point; I can’t feel my fingers. Why don’t you come out here try unscrewing a bolt while your hand is in this condition!!”  
\-------------------------------------  
Finally, the Psychic manages to get the bolt out  
(Psychic) “Ok, got it!”  
The Psychic pulls the bolt out of the tank showing it off the Reverend who responds with an enthusiastic thumbs up.  
(Psychic [to herself]) “Ok, what’s next?”  
The Psychic takes the sheets she needs, examines them for a second and starts open the panel with the bolt.  
(Reverend) “Poppy, I don’t want to pressure you or anything but you need to pick up the pace a bit”  
(Psychic [while focusing on the panel]) “I know, I know”  
The Psychic opens the panel revealing a network of rainbow coloured wires scattered all over the place  
(Psychic) “Oohh, [bleep] me!!”  
(Professor [re-examining his sheet]) “Don’t worry, it’s easier than it looks”  
(Reverend [over the Professor]) “Language!”  
\-------------------------------------------  
(Reverend) “Even though, my life is on the line right now, I can’t help but be entertained by Poppy’s reaction to all these tasks. Like, one minute, she’s like [exaggerated frustrated face] ‘ugh!’ and then she’s like [exaggerated lit up face] ‘oohh!’ few minutes, later, she’s back to [exaggerated frustrated face] ‘ugh!’ next thing you know, she’s back to [exaggerated lit up face] ‘oohh!’. At this point, I’m just waiting for her ‘oohh!’ moment!”  
\-------------------------------------------  
(Psychic) “Thankfully, it just turns out to be one of those mini puzzles you sometimes get in video games, where you to line up a specific coloured wire to a specific symbol. I think the latest Spiderman game has a similar mini puzzle like that?”  
\-------------------------------------------  
(Psychic [studying an alphabet of symbols]) “I just realized that this scientist must have a lot of time on his hands if he’s put together blueprints to malfunction his own machine”  
The Reverend lightly chuckles in agreement at his partner’s comment.  
\--------------------------------------------  
(Professor) “I’m doing pretty well with this task, I’m a good amount ahead of Poppy, it’s given me a good boost of confidence, almost cocky”  
\--------------------------------------------  
(Psychic) “Is that an O or an… R? [re-checks symbols] …Oh, ok” [aligns a wire]  
\---------------------------------------------  
(Professor) “And then all of a sudden, I get to the blue wire and I can’t find the symbol that anywhere, and that’s when everything starts going downhill for me”  
\---------------------------------------------  
(Reverend) “Where are you at?”  
(Psychic) “I’m just doing purple then I’m going to go back to red and yellow”  
\---------------------------------------------  
(Professor) “Poppy starts catching up, I just start panicking and start putting it into every free jack there is”  
\---------------------------------------------  
(Heiress [impatiently]) “You better not be doing this for his sake!”  
(Professor) “I’m not!”  
(Heiress) “Don’t forget who you’re trying to free!”  
(Professor) “I genuinely can’t find the slot for the blue wire!”  
The Professor and the Psychic are soon both on their final wire. The Professor is still struggling, the Psychic is struggling a bit too, but soon she finds her jack and slots the wire in. As the wire goes the tank that contains the Heiress is instantly flooded with a purpley black gas!  
(Heiress) “AAHH!!! NO! NO! [starts slamming on the glass] NO, GET ME OUT! SOMEONE GET ME OUT!”  
The Heiress slams desperately on the glass of her tank but her efforts her futile as the guests that aren’t trapped just kneel there paralyzed in a pure state of shock. The tank is soon fully consumed by the gas completely cloaking the Heiress the only thing that is seen is her hand slamming on the glass, each slam getting weaker and weaker, until finally the petite manicured goes limp disappearing in the gas.  
(Psychic [horrified]) “…Did I do that…?”


End file.
